


SUCCESSION

by unknown_name



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Adventure, Character Growth, Gen, Post-Canon, Redemption, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Time Loop, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2018-09-02 11:26:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 172,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8665855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknown_name/pseuds/unknown_name
Summary: The whims of fate had decided that Akechi Goro couldn't die yet. At first, he despaired. Then, he realized that might have been exactly what he wanted. A fresh start. Another chance. A new beginning. And now, he will do anything in his power to atone for his sins and save the only person who had reached out to him. He will be tricked, rejected, betrayed, used again and again, there's no denying it. And yet, his newfound resolve won't falter. This is the way Akechi Goro will challenge the world.





	1. Prologue

Akechi Goro was going to die.  
  
He was cornered, his back against the steel wall, and had a gun pressed hard under his chin. The facial features of his assailant didn't look human anymore – they were more akin to a beast, or even some kind of monster. The eyes were empty and yet, full of malevolence and menace. The sight alone was already terrifying, but this was Akechi Goro's _own face_. Finding out it could be distorted that way was enough to send a chill down his spine.  
Still, Akechi Goro didn't cower. His hand never shook while he was pointing his own gun at the double's forehead.  
  
"How does it feel? How does it feel to know you're about to die?" the entity asked with a demented smile, clearly enjoying the situation. He didn't seem fazed by the gun aimed at his head, as if he was certain he was in no danger whatsoever.  
  
The young man didn't answer. He refused to give in to the taunts of the impostor. He felt that was exactly what the being wanted, and Akechi Goro was done doing everything that was expected of him, like a brainless puppet whose actions were always dictated and manipulated. The ultimate proof of his status as a puppet was standing before him after all. This Akechi Goro, a cold-blooded, obedient and disposable little hitman, born from the perception of his father's mind, was going to kill him. But the real Akechi Goro refused to go down without a fight. If he was going to die, he would make sure to take the other out with him.  
  
Some muffled sounds of rushing footsteps could be heard from behind the wall, as if a large group of people was running away from an imminent danger. The impostor's smile widened, and his eyes gleamed with malice. "Look, they abandoned you. Well, it's only natural... you are already dead."  
  
Akechi Goro gritted his teeth. He knew that was a lie but even so, only thinking about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts was enough for his chest to tighten. He thought about the past hour, the last sixty minutes of his short life, the sixty minutes that had turned his life upside down. It was painful to admit, but he had suffered not one but two crushing defeats at the hands of the thieves. He was hurting all over, he was even slightly bleeding, he was exhausted, and above all, he felt humiliated. He had disliked being in such a vulnerable position where his emotions had been exposed for the whole gang to see. He had disliked that they tried to soothe him, he had disliked that they found out about his deeply hidden affection for Kurusu Akira, he had disliked how they tried to convince him to join the group again for the ultimate battle against Shidou Masayoshi. He believed that what happened between his father and himself was personal, and he didn't want the Phantom Thieves to get involved.  
  
_No, that's wrong_ , Akechi Goro thought. He had to stop lying to himself – the real reason for his reluctance to join the Phantom Thieves was because he felt like he didn't have the right to accept their offer. He had lied to them, he had murdered some of their parents, he had sold them out, he had stabbed them in the back, he had tried to kill their leader, he had tried to kill them _all_. And despite that, they had been willing to let him join them again? Could they have been any more foolish?  
The young man groaned at the memory. Those people were beyond his understanding.  
  
But in the end, he didn't even get the opportunity to give them an answer. The fake Akechi – Shidou's Akechi – had appeared with dozens of Shadows as reinforcements, and now that the real teenager had helped the Phantom Thieves escape, his time was up. The two figures stood still, prepared to strike any moment now, so close to each other that Akechi Goro could see his reflection in the empty, monstrous eyes that gazed at him. His own eyes didn't show any hint of fear, however. His grip around his gun tightened, and he stared at his double with pure hatred, ready to kill. This only made the being laugh.  
  
"You know it's useless to shoot me, right? Kill me... and someone else will replace me. I am disposable after all." he said, too calm, too slowly.   
  
Shidou's Akechi was now pressing his gun harder under the real teenager's chin, as if he intended to leave a bruise. He opened his mouth to let out a demented laugh, and that was when Akechi Goro knew this was the end. He thought about those past two and a half years, he thought about his father, he thought about the Phantom Thieves, he thought about Joker. Then, everything happened too fast.  
  
With his right hand, he shoved the double away and, not taking the time to think or aim properly, pressed the trigger and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for his imminent death. Shidou's Akechi was caught off-guard but still shot at the exact same time, with a scream of rage that resonated in the whole room.   
  
The echo eventually quieted down and Akechi Goro opened his eyes, only to let out a small gasp at the scene that greeted him. He couldn't tear his gaze away from it, as if in a trance. Lying on the ground was the other Akechi, eyes wide open, blood dripping from his head and tinting both his face and hair red. The being would never talk or taunt anymore. He slowly vanished into thin air, and with him the Shadows he had summoned. The young man took a while to realize it, but his impassive attitude from earlier was long gone. He was violently shaking, his breathing extremely irregular, and his whole body was heavily covered in sweat. His legs couldn't support his weight anymore and he collapsed to his knees. He looked over his shoulder to notice a bullet hole on the steel wall, too close to his body. Thanks to the shove, the double's aim had been thrown off. One more inch to the left and Akechi Goro would have dropped dead. It had been way, way too close. But now, he was no longer in danger. He was safe.  
  
He should have died.  
But he lived...  
  
Akechi Goro didn't understand. He felt like something was wrong, as if he had been supposed to die here. His survival was a mistake, or so he believed. He couldn't explain how the strange thought came to his mind, and before he could come up with a satisfying answer, a disembodied feminine voice rang through the speakers of the room and snapped him back to reality.  
  
_"Attention. The water valves are now closed. Workers inside the partition walls, please evacuate immediately."_  
  
It was the same announcement the young man heard when he shot the switch that raised the wall, separating the Phantom Thieves from the Shadows, the impostor, and himself. So much for being safe. He had no idea what was going to happen, but it didn't take a genius to figure it out. Yet, he didn't want to think anymore. He felt too tired, as if he hadn't rested in a lifetime. All he wanted to do... was sleep.  
  
The teenager slowly lay down on the hard floor, still hurting from his fights with the Phantom Thieves. The final words he exchanged with them resurfaced from the depths of his mind.  
  
_"Put an end... to Shidou. Make him answer for his sins... in my stead. I'm counting on you...!"_  
  
He had heard Joker accept his final wish behind the wall. Akechi Goro didn't know what to feel anymore. He felt torn between confusion, resentment, jealousy, envy, but also gratefulness, emptiness, sadness and regret. This contradictory cocktail of emotions was enough to make his head spin. He hated the Phantom Thieves, but also liked them. He looked down on them, but also desperately wanted their acceptance. And in the end, he had been accepted... somewhat. If only the fake Akechi hadn't shown up... perhaps he would have ended up joining them after all. The memory of Joker's expression as the partition wall rose flashed in his mind. It was a look of deep anguish and anxiety, as if the black-haired boy had been truly worried about him. Akechi Goro's lips curled into an imperceptible smile. The thought that Joker – no, Kurusu Akira – had seemingly felt this way made the teenager happy. He wouldn't ask for more.  
  
The engine room suddenly shook, snapping him out of his thoughts. It seemed something was happening to the ship – the floor vibrated and, without warning, sounds of explosions could be heard in the distance. The room swung vertically, like a cube rolling to another side in slow-motion. Was the ship sinking?  
  
The way Akechi Goro's body moved on its own, pulled down by gravity and sliding along the wall that once was a floor, suggested that yes, it was. The room had now completely tipped over, and he could hear the ominous sound of high-pressured water threatening to burst the walls open. The young man wasn't sure what was going on, but he figured the Phantom Thieves had somehow managed to reform Shidou, resulting in the collapse of his Palace. Those guys truly were something else. A tiny part of him worried they might be in danger, but he discarded the thought as soon as it crossed his mind – he knew they would be fine and escape safely. In any case, the knowledge that they kept their promise to him and made Shidou pay made him feel at peace, but also empty. Akechi Goro's purpose had been fulfilled, and there was now nothing worth living for anymore. How could a murderer, a liar and a cheater keep on living anyway? He had survived his encounter with his impostor, but he believed he hadn't deserved this chance. Why had someone like him been somehow lucky enough to cheat death, while dozens of innocents had been mercilessly killed by his own hand? Where was the justice in that? Akechi Goro was tired of it all. But now, he was finally about to get his own escape. All he had to do was close his eyes and wait.  
  
Another explosion rang out nearby, much louder than the first ones. The engine room was shaking hard, just like a plane experiencing heavy turbulence, causing the young man to hold on to some steam pipes as tightly as he could. Despite the situation, Kurusu Akira made his way into his thoughts again. Why had Akechi Goro been intrigued by him? Some bite-sized pieces of that day, that happened more than five months ago now, slowly came back to the surface of his mind. That's right... he had approached him after the talk show because the black-haired boy had spoken in favor of the Phantom Thieves. Akechi Goro was not used to people going against him during discussions, and that is why he took an interest in him. He had met him several times after that, curiosity slowly turning into resentment, then jealousy, then pure hatred. He had been envious of Kurusu Akira's ability to be surrounded by people who genuinely cared about him in spite of his background. It seemed to the teenager that the black-haired boy had the extraordinary power to illuminate the lives of all the people he encountered, and very deep down, Akechi Goro felt that his own life too could have been illuminated – no, _saved_  – by Kurusu Akira, if only he hadn't been so obsessed with his plan. He had been completely blinded by his desire for revenge and approval, and he was now about to pay the ultimate price.  
  
_But it's alright... this is what I wanted..._  
  
Akechi Goro glanced at the ceiling. He hadn't even noticed the emergency siren resonating in the room, and the red lights on the walls flickering ominously.  
  
_Huh...? I wanted... this?_  
  
No. If Akechi Goro was honest, the thing he wanted the most was to have met Kurusu Akira years earlier, before he got entangled in this whole mess. He had no one to blame but himself, however – he chose to put himself in this situation after all – but it never even began to cross his mind that said situation would have spun out of control so badly.  
  
Even so, he didn't care anymore, because nothing mattered anymore. He finally closed his eyes and waited, actually longing for death now. This is what he deserved, he figured, and also his only hope for liberation.  
  
_Are you really going to let yourself die, even though you were lucky enough to finally escape death? Are you a coward?_  
  
Akechi Goro gasped and sat up straight, his heart beating so fast he felt it was about to implode. His movement had been too sudden, and his body protested by sending painful jolts to his brain. Yelping and clutching one of the wounds on his waist, he wondered what was happening to him. He had just heard an unknown woman's voice in his head, barely louder than a whisper and yet quite commanding. He tried his best to focus, but he heard nothing else except for the sound of the walls creaking and the deafening ringing of the emergency alarm. Perhaps the emotion of everything that happened until now was getting to him at last. He probably misheard, or imagined it. There was no other explanation.  
  
_Live to see another day._  
  
The words, too sudden, felt like a jolt of electricity hitting him head-on.  
  
"W-What?! Who's there?!" he cried out, looking around frantically for the owner of the voice, but to no avail. He was completely alone.  
  
But then, without warning, the floor collapsed under his body, and Akechi Goro found himself falling in a black, endless void. He screamed, screamed and screamed some more, until his voice broke. And finally, he hit freezing water and sank, too weak to swim back to the surface. He pressed his hands hard on his mouth, but it was too late. The cold water rushed through his nose, throat and lungs, and Akechi Goro stopped thinking.


	2. Case 1 - CORRIDOR

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, guys. Thank you very much for giving my newest story such a nice welcome! The timeloop/time travel idea came to me pretty soon after the release of the game (and I am sure many people thought about it too when they experienced the game for themselves), and I finally decided to take the plunge.  
> I have already planned the whole plot from start to finish, so hopefully I won't make you wait too long between each chapter (I believe I'll be able to deliver one chapter a week, usually on Sundays). The last two chapters are actually already done, but I'm afraid it might take a while before I can publish them, because I estimated the story to have around 15-20 chapters at least. Now then, please enjoy Succession.

"Thank you everybody for joining us today! I am sure this little debate was a very rewarding experience for all of us, wasn't it? Let's all thank Akechi-kun for sparing us some of his precious time! And with this, we wish you a great afternoon!"  
  
Under thunderous applause and cheering, Akechi Goro stood up and bowed with elegance. The voice of the host was, as always, extremely grating, but of course, the detective would never let anything but a smile show on his face, no matter how irritated he felt. Still, he was eager to leave the TV studio set, and quickly headed for the backstage area to retrieve his attaché-case but, despite his haste, he found himself surrounded by an excited crowd of all ages and both genders. Akechi Goro felt like some kind of prey, soon to become dinner for a particularly voracious group of wolves, and it didn't help that a few of his most overwhelming fans among the horde were older women, ogling at him with no subtility whatsoever.  
  
"A~ke~chi~kun!"  
  
"Akechi-san, you're so cool!"  
  
"If only I had a child like you, Akechi-chan..."  
  
"How about going to Shibuya together, Akecchi? Oh, you're probably busy, aren't you? That's a shame!"  
  
"Akechi-kun, teach me how to become popular like you!"  
  
"Have you ever thought about becoming a model, Akechi-kun?"  
  
_Akechi. Akechi. Akechi. Akechi. Akechi. Akechi..._  
  
The teenager gently turned their overwhelming enthusiasm down by claiming he still had a lot of work to do, which wasn't entirely false. A bright smile was enough to make the crowd melt and apologize for getting in his way and, when the cheerful pack finally left the TV studio set – with one of the teenage girls blowing him a kiss on the way out while her friend howled with laughter – Akechi Goro could not help but sigh in relief. He didn't really enjoy the attention his fans gave him. Actually, they were making him straight-up uncomfortable. The thought left a bitter taste in the detective's mouth, for he had truly believed becoming famous would earn him genuine happiness. He couldn't have been more wrong, however, and he instinctively clenched his fists at the thought.  
  
Akechi Goro was not stupid. He knew all those people who claimed to love him really loved the fake personality he was presenting, but he didn't blame them. A prince-like detective, charismatic and popular, would be obviously more appealing to the masses than a pathetic orphan and bastard child, rejected by anybody as soon as they would find out about his origins. His life would end the minute his fans uncovered the truth about himself, and this is why he had to keep the facade up. No matter how exhausted or overwhelmed he felt, no matter how uncomfortable his fans made him, he would keep on smiling.  
  
Still, he longed for someone to actually love him. Someone who would need him just like how he desperately needed someone in return. But he knew it was too late, because his plan to take revenge on his father was already in motion, and he figured he was in too deep to go back to a normal life. No matter how much Akechi Goro thought about it, he could see no way out, and he believed being loved was reserved for ordinary, straightforward, spotless people. He wouldn't complain however, because this was the path he chose for himself after all, and besides, he knew achieving his goal would grant him the ultimate happiness. This is why he promised himself, back then when he was fifteen years old and stumbled upon the power that would change his life, that he would never regret any of the actions he would have to take for the sake of his plan. He had done a great job separating his feelings from his goal until now and yet, as time went on, he found it harder and harder to keep it up. What had changed, though? How come his emotions were now betraying him, something that had never happened before?  
  
The detective shook his head. So absorbed had he been in his daydreaming that he hadn't noticed reaching the empty backstage area. He retrieved the silver attaché-case in his assigned locker, and this is when Akechi Goro woke up.  
  
_Huh...? That was a dream...?_  
  
Confused and groggy, the young man stretched his arms. After rubbing his eyes for a while, he finally opened them, and the sight before him was enough to jolt him awake for good.  
  
He was in pure darkness and yet, his body was still visible, as if the dark couldn't engulf him in its black coat. Akechi Goro was now completely lost and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't come up with an explanation for this strange area. He figured he might still be dreaming, but he had no way to tell for sure.  
  
The young man tried his hardest to remember what happened before he woke up. Tiny fragments of memories slowly resurfaced in his mind, and soon enough, he pieced the puzzle back together. That's right... he remembered now. He had confronted the Phantom Thieves in his father's Palace, had fought against them but lost, then the fake Akechi had appeared... and then, he had led the thieves to safety and survived the encounter with his double somehow. After that, the ship started sinking, and he was about to let himself drown with it when a woman's voice had rung inside his head. He remembered falling in a void, crashing into water, and then, nothing.  
  
Akechi Goro could feel the beginning of a headache nibbling at his skull. A moment passed before he finally noticed he was no longer wearing his black armor but his regular school uniform instead, meaning he was probably not in the other world anymore. Dozens of questions cluttered his head and he rubbed his forehead in pain. What the hell happened? How come he had heard a voice in his head? How did he go from freezing water to this dark room? How did he even survive anyway?  
  
Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm down and focus. He noticed he was sitting down, his back pressed against a hard surface, but when he looked over his shoulder, he could see nothing but a black, endless void. The wall was very real, however, and after several minutes spent blindly feeling around, he deduced that he was currently at the dead end of a corridor whose walls were invisible. It seemed his path was already mapped out.  
  
He slowly got up, expecting his body to ache all over, but found himself standing up effortlessly, as if the beating he got from the Phantom Thieves never happened. He brought a somewhat shaky hand to his face, trying to feel some of the wounds he had suffered from the fights, but couldn't find any. Growing more and more confused, he groped his way alongside the invisible walls and soon enough, he reached a door that was still visible just like his body in spite of the darkness. It looked quite ominous standing there in the black, endless void, but Akechi Goro couldn't bear this place any longer. Bracing himself for whatever was waiting for him, he cautiously opened the door, and then gasped.  
  
_Is that... the real world?_  
  
Behind the door was the city of Tokyo, and more specifically the heart of Shibuya, lively as ever. It seemed the black corridor was simply another exit from the other world, and although it was definitely strange he hadn't heard about it before, Akechi Goro quickly let it go. What mattered now was that he was back in Tokyo, meaning he could discover what happened after his separation from the thieves. If he was lucky enough, he might even find out if Shidou had been properly reformed...  
  
The teenager stepped through the door with hesitation and found himself surrounded by a sea of people under a beaming sun. Nobody batted an eye at his sudden appearance – passersby went on their way as if he were invisible. Akechi Goro didn't know what to make of it, but he was at least glad he went unnoticed. He definitely didn't need to attract attention right now, and so he melted into the crowd, not even noticing that the mysterious door had disappeared. However, he definitely noticed how the weather seemed abnormally pleasant and sunny – the month was November and yet, he felt like he was experiencing spring. It wasn't the only thing that made him uncomfortable, however – he felt somewhat uneasy to stay out in the open. What would happen if he ran into someone he knew? What if somebody found out he was the one who killed Kurusu Akira – not that they could know he was actually alive – and confronted him? What if he bumped into Shidou's men? What would he do then?  
  
As if on cue, a familiar voice rang loudly among the crowd. He knew this voice very well – it belonged to Sakamoto Ryuji, and the young man turned his eyes toward his direction. The blond-haired boy was leaning against what looked like a minivan, big enough to accommodate at least nine people, and Akechi Goro could catch a glimpse of the four girls of the group inside the vehicle. They all looked excited.  
  
"Hey! Over here!" Sakamoto cried out, fidgeting around like some kind of animal.  
  
The young man had – even if he would never admit it – the tiny hope that the hot-blooded teen's call was addressed to him, but he knew Sakamoto was actually waving frantically to someone Akechi Goro couldn't see amidst the crowd. The teenager stayed back, unwilling to be spotted, and he eventually caught sight of the people Sakamoto was calling to – they were Kitagawa Yusuke, and Kurusu Akira. Feeling his heart tighten a little in his chest, he silently watched the Phantom Thieves make small talk he couldn't hear, get in the van, and then leave for an unknown destination.  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel in that very moment. He felt a mix of disappointment – the group probably thought him long dead by now – and envy, like he would have done anything to join them on their trip. Again, he was reluctant to admit it, but the thieves' journey seemed like _fun_. Perhaps Akechi Goro could have had fun with them too, if only he hadn't been such a fool.  
  
Consumed by sudden gloom, he left the wide street and headed for a back alley to collect his thoughts. Forcing himself to put the image of the excited thieves at the back of his mind, he focused on his true priority – finding out about Shidou's whereabouts. If the thieves were here, this meant they had successfully escaped his father's Palace – as he thought – and had very possibly managed to reform him. The media was probably feasting on it by now – it shouldn't be too hard to find some information about the topic, and so the young man took out his phone. His index finger hovered over the Internet browser but he didn't open it just yet, for he finally noticed something that wasn't there before.  
  
Next to the Otherworld Navi application, that allowed him to visit the Palaces, was an unknown icon flickering ominously. The picture was quite unremarkable – it appeared to be some kind of clock, just like any other application used to tell the time. The letters "ATN" could be read under it, but Akechi Goro wasn't sure what they could mean. He somehow felt enthralled by the icon, as if he was being hypnotized, and after a few seconds of hesitation, he touched it. The application maximized on the screen, and the words "Another Time Navi" appeared.  
  
"Another Time... Navi?... Ow!"  
  
Before Akechi Goro could process this new information, an uncomfortable sensation of pins and needles prickled his whole body. The feeling was gone as fast as it came however, and the teenager blinked in confusion, not understanding what just happened. Putting that aside, it seemed the application was broken, for it had closed automatically and refused to reopen – in the end, it was completely useless. The teenager tried to delete it but the application stubbornly stayed there on his home screen no matter how many times he repeated the operation. Perhaps his cell phone got infected with a virus somehow.  
  
Letting a sigh escape his lips, Akechi Goro gave up and instead went back to his initial goal – looking up news about Shidou. A good ten minutes elapsed as he browsed dozens of articles, but not a single one of them mentioned anything about Shidou resigning, or breaking down, or confessing his crimes, or even anything remotely interesting at all. There were some articles mentioning his name and how he was a congressman who had the potential to make it big one day, perhaps become even Prime Minister in the future, but all of those were _old news_. No matter how much he searched, the teenager couldn't find any recent articles. Something was definitely wrong.  
  
Feeling worn out, Akechi Goro figured he might as well go home to rest and, while he was at it, check the TV for information. His objective decided, he left the back alley to return to the lively street. Feeling wary of the passersby, he couldn't help but hope he would not cross paths with anybody that might recognize him, but he knew it was unlikely that could happen – as long as he stayed hidden within the crowd, that is. He couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that something was off, however, and, without thinking, he checked his cell phone again. The ATN application was still there. Instinctively, he pressed the icon once more, but nothing happened. Growing frustrated, Akechi Goro tried to delete the application again, but to no avail. His attention was so focused on his phone that he didn't notice a girl busy window shopping, and he bumped into her.  
  
"Ah, I'm sorry. Are you alright?" he asked with a mix of sheepishness and cautiousness. The brown ponytail and the yellow scrunchie were familiar, and as soon as she lifted her eyes toward him, he knew his hunch was correct.  
  
"Ah... you are...!" he began, caught by surprise.  
  
_I know this girl... she attended all my TV interviews since the very first one... she cooked for me a lot... and I think she also sent me chocolate last Valentine's Day..._  
  
The girl looked a bit different, however. Her hair was way longer than he remembered, and she seemed slightly smaller in stature. Perhaps Akechi Goro hadn't paid enough attention, but he could have sworn she was taller than that.  
  
She shook her head with a perplexed look on her face. "I'm fine, thank you. Um, excuse me, but... do I know you? You seemed to recognize me from somewhere, so..."  
  
Akechi Goro blinked, completely taken aback by the unexpected question. What was wrong with her? She was possibly one of his most zealous fans, and now she was playing dumb? Perhaps that was her new strategy to catch his attention?  
  
He tried his best to repress a groan, and despite his attempt to stay in character, his politeness from earlier was practically gone when he answered.   
  
"... What are you saying? We have met dozens of times before. You attended all my talk shows, and you always gave me a homemade lunchbox after each session." _Lunchboxes that all ended in the trash can_ , he couldn't help but think in spite. Akechi Goro looked down on superficial and fickle affection, and suddenly felt hit by a wave of bitterness that was hard to conceal.  
  
This answer seemed to stun the girl just like he had been stunned only moments before. She quickly took a step back, as if she felt somehow threatened by the teenager. "Um, I'm sorry, but this is the first time I have ever seen you... now if you would please excuse me..."  
  
And before Akechi Goro got the time to react, she turned around and walked away from him as fast as she could. He swore he heard her mutter a "Creep!" under her breath.  
  
"What was that all about...?" he asked himself in confusion. He could feel seeds of worry slowly but surely taking over his mind.  
  
_It's like she can't remember me... as if we really never met..._  
  
Akechi Goro tried to pull himself together. Perhaps he had mistaken a random girl for his fan. Yes, now that he thought about it, that was surely the case, and that explained why he was certain the girl he knew was taller. He shouldn't have been so rude to her, and could now feel a tiny hint of embarrassment tint his cheeks red, but he quickly shrugged it off. He absent-mindedly checked the shop window the girl was looking at – it was a random women's fashion store, apparently specializing in very feminine and elegant style.  
  
_Wait... wasn't there supposed to be a bookstore here? I'm positive I bought some textbooks from that place less than a few weeks ago..._  
  
Akechi Goro could see his reflection in the window. Confused eyes stared back at him. The headache from earlier woke up in his brain, and he tried his hardest to think in spite of the painful throbbing. So many things didn't make sense. Him surviving his father's Palace, the strange voice in his head, how he almost drowned and somehow found himself in a dark corridor afterwards, how his phone got an application he never installed and couldn't delete, how the weather was unusually mild for this season, how he couldn't find any substantial information about Shidou, the encounter with the girl, the bookstore that became a clothing shop in a matter of weeks... what the hell was happening?  
  
A mature and quite commanding voice interrupted his train of thought – the owner of said voice seemed to be in a hurry. Akechi Goro didn't avert his eyes from the shop window and only half-listened to the conversation, his mind back to being consumed by his worries again.  
  
"Pick up the pace, Makoto. We're going to be late."  
  
"I'm right behind you, sis."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide. Turning around so fast he thought he would collapse, he stared at the direction he had heard the voice coming from. There was absolutely no mistaking it – it belonged to Niijima Sae, the female prosecutor he had worked alongside with for almost one year now, and following behind was Niijima Makoto, her younger sister and a member of the Phantom Thieves, although it was undeniable he had seen her leave with her friends in the van only moments earlier. No matter how much he thought about it, this didn't make any sense, and Akechi Goro could feel his heart rate increase faster by the second. What were they doing here? How could Niijima Makoto even be there? What was he going to do? What was he going to say? The younger sister knew all about him, and there was no doubt Niijima Sae was in the know too, after everything that happened. How would they react upon finding out the man they believed had eventually died in the other world was there, before their eyes and very much alive? What was he supposed to–  
  
Niijima Sae glanced at the teenager. She seemed puzzled by his bewildered gaze but chose to pay it no mind. The two sisters were expected after all, and they could not afford to make their hosts wait. The younger girl gave Akechi Goro a curious look but ignored him all the same, and moments later, they were already gone, disappearing in the crowd.  
  
Akechi Goro just stood there, rooted to the spot. It took him a while to realize it, but both of them had looked slightly different, two years younger perhaps, three at most. Niijima Makoto was smaller and her face rounder, and Niijima Sae's hair was slightly shorter and darker. He had seen many strange things throughout his life, ranging from curious to straight-up bizarre. But this time, the weirdness of the situation had reached levels he thought couldn't exist.  
  
"I really have no idea what's going on..."


	3. Case 2 - ENCOUNTER

The city of Tokyo was huge – always busy, always crowded and full of life whether it was day or night. Akechi Goro had lived in the heart of the capital for two and a half years now, and while he was used to Tokyo's frantic lifestyle, he had to admit he sometimes missed the calmer, more withdrawn days of his childhood spent in the suburbs of the city. He felt like he had grown up in another world where frenziness never existed, and while thinking about his past brought back painful memories he would rather forget, he still longed for his quiet and solitary hometown. Feeling alone in a lonely town was normal – feeling alone in a city as hectic as Tokyo felt wrong.  
  
He was currently in one of the liveliest streets of Tokyo and yet, he never felt more alone than in that precise moment. The crowd was too dense, and it made him feel insignificant, as if he was just another faceless, nameless passerby who did not matter to anyone in the world. The teenager thought he had successfully managed to lock those feelings of loneliness deep within his heart, but when he saw the Phantom Thieves having fun together like any other group of friends, the lock had broken, and his emotions were now leaking away, set free from a lifetime of repression and denial.  
  
He hated it all, he hated Kurusu Akira and how easy he had it, he hated how the black-haired boy's heart was always free no matter what, he hated the Phantom Thieves who could never understand him in spite of their claims to the contrary, he hated the eight of them for being so foolish and worthless, and he hated himself the very most, for thinking about them that way. He knew, deep down, that he was only lying to himself, but acknowledging he liked them would make everything irrevocable. He wasn't ready, not yet.  
  
The young man couldn't help but sigh at his own behavior. Had he always been this _childish?_  
  
Ready or not, Akechi Goro was aware he had to accept his true feelings, because that was the only way for him to move on. Those contradictory emotions were only clouding his mind and given his current situation, that was the last thing he needed. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to put his feelings of unjustified hatred at the back of his mind.  
  
He couldn't help but wonder about the life he could have experienced if circumstances had been different. What if his mother had never left the world? Would he have been happy then? What about Kurusu Akira? What would have happened if he had met the black-haired boy before committing his first crime? Could he have prevented Akechi Goro from turning into a cold-blooded murderer? Could he have become friends with Akechi Goro, could he have supported him in his darkest hour and spared him a lifetime of never-ending loneliness? He had the feeling deep down that yes, Kurusu Akira could have, if Akechi Goro had given him the chance, and the realization stung hard, like a venomous bite.  
  
The teenager's lips curled into a tiny smile that didn't reach his eyes. It was one of the few times he had been sincere with his emotions – only hours earlier, he would never have admitted his true feelings, not even to himself. After years of practice, Akechi Goro had become so good at lying he could deceive even his own heart. His facade as a charismatic detective was the ultimate piece of evidence – he had taken his role so seriously he had been eventually convinced he was an actual, genius detective. Now that he thought about it, this was probably the reason for his downfall. He had overestimated his own capabilities and intelligence, all because he had been stupid enough to believe a lie so much it had somehow become reality in his mind. The Phantom Thieves were not the fools. Akechi Goro was.  
  
He tried in vain to clear his head. If it wasn't gloom that took over his mind, then it was astonishment. He hadn't been this confused in his entire life, and his attempt at understanding his situation was absolutely fruitless. The Niijima sisters had disappeared amidst the crowd for a while now, but he was still stunned by the shock of the encounter. Yet, it wasn't like he would see them ever again – he would make sure that wouldn't happen – and so he accepted that he would never find a satisfying explanation. Quite ironic, he thought bitterly, for someone who used to call themselves a detective.  
  
With a sigh, Akechi Goro headed home. It was actually not far from his current position and soon enough, he arrived at the apartment building, making his way to the second floor. He reached into his pocket for the key and, eager to get some rest – the whole chain of today's events had exhausted him – he opened the door.  
  
Actually, _tried to_ would be more correct. The key didn't fit the hole.  
  
"Come on, give me a break already..." he sighed in frustration.  
  
He tried to insert the key again, but to no avail. The lock wouldn't cooperate and the door wouldn't budge – he was undeniably locked out. Akechi Goro just stood there, feeling completely stupid. It seemed the strange day he was experiencing would not end anytime soon. Yes, everything that happened so far had been unusual, and that was a major understatement. But being locked outside his own home because of a key that definitely fit just fine the day before? That was the last straw, really, and the young man was so exasperated he didn't hear the sound of slow footsteps making their way toward him.  
  
"Ah, are you the new neighbor? I heard they would be a teenager this time. Nice to meet you."  
  
Akechi Goro, who had leaned on the wall in weariness, straightened up right away, unwilling to show a side of himself that wasn't perfect. He recognized the voice immediately – it belonged to the neighbor from the opposite apartment, an old woman who had apparently lived there forever. She was one of the very few people he didn't dislike, because unlike many others, she never swooned over him, and for that, he was grateful. Why did she call him the new neighbor, though...?  
  
Unlike the girl he had mistaken for his fan and the Niijima sisters, the woman didn't look any different. Well, actually, now that he was paying more attention, she seemed to have slightly less wrinkles than usual on her face. Before he could reply – he wasn't sure what to say – a sudden wave of dizziness took over his body and he closed his eyes, fearing he would collapse. When he opened them again, the sensation was gone and the old woman was still there, now wearing a completely different set of clothes.  
  
Akechi Goro just stood there, dumbstruck. He didn't even bother trying to come up with an explanation. He knew he wouldn't find any.  
  
"Akechi-chan? Are you alright?" the woman asked in a concerned tone of voice. She had more wrinkles around her eyes, the teenager noticed.  
  
Akechi Goro didn't understand. Did she really treat him like a stranger a few minutes ago, only to call him by his name mere seconds later? Did her outfit really change in the blink of an eye, or was that just him going insane? Once again, he could feel a headache making its way into his skull and he clenched his teeth in pain. This whole situation was so wrong, he was genuinely starting to believe he was losing his mind. Perhaps he had suffered some trauma from the other world, and the aftereffects were now arising?  
  
Knowing she was waiting for a reply, he answered her question without even thinking, forcing his voice to sound as natural as possible. "Yes, but the key... the key doesn't seem to fit the hole. I... am not sure why."  
  
The old woman's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "Is that so? Let me try."  
  
Catching him off-guard, she took the key from his hand and inserted it in the keyhole. With a satisfying clicking sound, the door opened effortlessly.  
  
"Here you go, Akechi-chan." she said in a gentle voice while the young man stared at the door, speechless and lips slightly parted. She continued, seemingly oblivious to his current inner turmoil. "You know, this reminds me of the day you moved here, I think it was around two years ago now, maybe more. I greeted you back then, remember? You were all flustered because you didn't know the lock was about to be replaced, and you somehow got the key for the new lock instead of the old one from the previous neighbor. Maybe that was his idea of entertainment?"  
  
And on those words, she opened the door to her own apartment, leaving the teenager alone.  
  
"Two years... ago...?" Akechi Goro repeated slowly. The memory that the old woman had brought back from the depths of his mind was now vivid – he remembered the incident perfectly. It had indeed happened two and a half years ago, when he had just moved in the heart of Tokyo. An overwhelming wave of realization suddenly washed over him and he instinctively brought a hand to his head.  
  
No. No, it couldn't be. There was no way something like that was happening. Yes, he was a teenager with a supernatural power who could explore some kind of parallel world. But even his beliefs had its limits.  
... But, if that was really true, everything that happened since he came back from the other world  _made sense_... too much sense...  
  
Closing the door behind him and not bothering to switch on the lights, the teenager took out his cell phone from his pocket. He felt like he was about to discover something so huge that it could turn his life upside down, but he wasn't sure he was ready for it. Before he could change his mind, he forced himself to check the date on his phone. It read March 20, 2017.  
  
_March 20, 2017?_  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't sure how he was supposed to react. He had expected the unthinkable – he thought the date would read 2014. But the reality was perhaps even more ridiculous and outlandish. Today was supposed to be November 27th, 2016. So why the hell did his phone somehow show _2017?_  
  
Thinking the phone had glitched – although he knew that was very unlikely – he went in the settings to manually change the date back to November 27, 2016 but found out he couldn't – the option was greyed out. Before he could even begin to wonder what the hell was going on, his cell phone suddenly buzzed and the teenager, startled, dropped it on the ground. With a shaky hand, he picked it up. He had one new message.  
  
"Do not worry. You are not losing your mind."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't recognize the number, but he was more concerned about the message itself. Its timing had been too perfect, and its content too insightful.  
  
"Who is this?" he typed with a mix of wariness and curiosity. He was now wide awake – his tiredness from earlier was entirely gone.  
  
"Not your enemy, that is for sure. I am contacting you to shed some light on your situation."  
  
The teenager's eyes widened. Was there actually someone who knew about what he was currently experiencing? But how could that even be? He was aware those two messages were suspicious, but at the same time, he was desperate for any kind of answer, anything that could explain what he was currently going through. Following his instinct, Akechi Goro decided he would go along with the stranger – at least for now.  
  
"What do you know?" he typed, anxiously waiting for the reply which took only a few seconds to arrive.  
  
"First, let me tell you that I know about your secret. That you are a Persona user, of course."  
  
Akechi Goro gasped, feeling his heart beat faster by the minute. Before he could come up with an answer, the stranger had sent another message.  
  
"I also know about the existence of the other world and the Palaces. I know about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, and I know all about you."  
  
Feeling light-headed, Akechi Goro leaned on the front door of his apartment and let his body slowly slide to the ground. Save for the specks of sunlight that came through the barely open shutters and shone on the teenager's face, the hallway was plunged in half-darkness. The only other source of light in the room was coming from the bright screen of his phone, making it appear even more ominous than it already was. How could that person know anything about him? Did they really mean it when they said _all?_  
  
"You feel confused and empty, don't you? You feel like you would be better off dead, don't you? That is understandable. After all, your purpose in life has been fulfilled."  
  
The words hit hard, just like a slap. The stranger's new message couldn't have been more spot on. Surpassing Shidou had been his ultimate goal for years, and now that the Phantom Thieves had presumably taken care of him, the teenager almost felt as if he didn't have anything left to live for. Still, one of his questions had been answered – the stranger really appeared to know all about him, regardless of how absurd that was. There were hundreds of other things he wanted to know, but the only question he managed to ask was another "Who is this?"  
  
"An ally. Now, I am aware this is going to sound strange, but your story is not over yet. Actually, it might just be beginning."  
  
"What do you mean?" he hastened to type, curiosity taking over cautiousness, if only for a moment.  
  
"You experienced unusual things today. As if you had traveled back in time, perhaps? Two and a half years back, to be more specific?"  
  
The teenager froze for a second, feeling like the anticipation and the adrenaline were about to swallow him whole. He knew what the stranger was going to say next. But he didn't know if he could take it, let alone accept it.  
  
"Well, you did actually travel back in time. For one hour, you were sent to the world as it was two and a half years ago. You are currently back in the present however."  
  
Akechi Goro gaped. His heart was now beating so fast he felt almost sick, as if about to throw up in fear. Despite being prepared for it, the shock was huge nonetheless – he just couldn't take this as the truth, he couldn't. His mind was going blank, but a sudden jolt of irritation brought him back to reality. The more he thought about it, the more he grew wary of the stranger. They hadn't even bothered giving him their name, how was he supposed to trust someone who apparently knew all about him while he didn't have a single clue about their identity?  
  
"This is just crazy. What the hell is this all about anyway? Why are you telling me this? Besides, how do you know about me? How do I know you're not just messing around?" he angrily typed, so flustered he kept misspelling his words before correcting them in annoyance.  
  
The next message took longer to reach him, as if the stranger wasn't sure what the best approach would be. "Stay calm, and listen. All your questions will be answered one day, I promise. I know this is a lot to take in, but I am begging you to believe me for the time being, because I am on your side. If I explained to you how you managed to travel back in time, would you trust me?"  
  
Before he could figure out what he should reply, the stranger had already sent two other messages.  
  
"Do you remember the Another Time Navi application on your phone? This is your ticket to the past. You just have to press it once and you are sent back. You touched it earlier, didn't you?"  
  
"However, when you are back in time, you have only one hour before the application sends you back to the present. Do you understand now?"  
  
Upon reading those words, Akechi Goro gathered his thoughts about today's events. He was in that back alley, about to look up information on Shidou... and then he had noticed the strange, unknown icon on his phone. Did he really travel back in time because he touched it...? All of this was just unbelievable, but at the same time... at the same time, everything made sense. The fan who didn't recognize him, the bookstore that had been replaced by a clothing shop, the lack of information about Shidou, the Niijima sisters who had ignored him, the old woman's outfit that had changed in the blink of an eye, and the incident with the key...  
  
His phone buzzed again and snapped him back to reality. The stranger had sent a new message while he was lost in thought.  
  
"And with this power, you can save them, you know. Your friends."  
  
The longer the conversation went on, the more confused the teenager felt. What was the stranger talking about? Save? Friends? Akechi Goro had never found anybody he could call a friend. The closest to that title would probably be Kurusu Akira, and that was extremely far-fetched – he knew it was one-sided. Still, the stranger's words had managed to catch all his attention, and the teenager typed his next message in a rush, desperate to know more. There was only one thing the stranger could be alluding to, and he had to make sure.  
  
"Are you talking about the Phantom Thieves? What would they need to be saved from? They looked perfectly fine." he asked, feeling a tiny twinge of pain in his chest at the memory. Still, he couldn't believe he was actually playing along, humoring someone he didn't even know.  
  
"You need to know that the Another Time Navi works only under a very special circumstance." the stranger texted back, dodging his questions.  
  
A thin layer of cold sweat enveloped Akechi Goro's body. He had a bad feeling about this, and was almost afraid to ask what the stranger meant. Still, he somehow felt he had to.  
  
"And what is this special circumstance?" he wrote, feeling as though his trembling fingers were guided by some mysterious force.  
  
The reply came immediately, implying the stranger had already typed it out before he even asked. "It works only within a Palace."  
  
_... What?_  
  
The next message arrived only seconds after the previous one, as if the stranger was in a hurry to say everything they knew.  
  
"The world around you right now is not real. It is a Palace, and your friends do not realize it. Nobody does. Excluding me, the only person who is aware of this is you. And thanks to the application, you can break them free."  
  
The young man had no idea what he was supposed to reply. This was just too much. After a moment that felt like it had lasted an eternity, he wrote back, feeling like a fool for playing along. For all he knew, this was just a very elaborate prank. "Let's say you are telling the truth, and we really are inside a Palace right now. Even if I can travel back in time, how is this supposed to help me return the world to normal?"  
  
"I believe the key to undo this Palace resides in your friends' actions. They unknowingly did something they were not supposed to, thus leading to the creation of this giant Palace. Only you can save them, because you are the only one who has access to the Another Time Navi. If you travel back in time, I am sure you can find a way to prevent their actions from creating this Palace in the first place."  
  
The teenager didn't know how to react anymore. With each new message, his bewilderment increased, and he wasn't sure how long his mind would last before shutting down. There was no way this was true. The stranger had to be lying.  
  
As if they sensed his disbelief, the stranger sent a new text. "If you do not believe me, try summoning your Persona."  
  
Akechi Goro stared at the screen in incredulity. Was that person actually expecting the summoning to work? How was he even supposed to do so without any mask to tear off his face?  
  
Feeling completely stupid, he did as he was told nonetheless. It wasn't like he had something to lose.  
  
"... Loki." he called without much conviction. There was no way the Persona would actually appear. But Akechi Goro suddenly felt a wave of energy surrounding him, and along with Loki showing himself before his very eyes, his school uniform smoothly turned into his black armor, helmet and all. He brushed the glass visor with a shaky hand, as if he wasn't sure it was real.  
  
"... Robin Hood?" he summoned next, his voice timid. Loki vanished to give way to the muscular, imposing Persona, and the teenager's outfit followed suit. The visor disappeared, replaced by the scarlet Venetian mask. His clothes turned a royal red and white, and he found himself staring at his hands – at his sophisticated white gloves that had replaced his bluish black gauntlets. He was now in the prince-like outfit he had used to deceive the Phantom Thieves, courtesy of Loki's powers.  
  
"This really is a Palace..." Akechi Goro muttered to himself, calling Robin Hood back in his heart. His regal getup turned back into his school uniform, and his phone buzzed again.  
  
"So, do you believe me now? Are you willing to listen to what I have to say?"  
  
The young man didn't answer. He just couldn't comprehend what was happening. Everything was going too fast, and the more he tried to understand, the more confused he was. He received yet another text.  
  
"Please, you have to believe me. They need you!"  
  
"Need me...?" he whispered.  
  
Among the confusion and the disbelief darkening his mind, Akechi Goro could now feel a tiny hint of excitement piercing through, like a ray of light coming down from a gloomy night sky. All of this was just crazy, and he wasn't even sure he really believed the stranger. But after giving it some thought, he realized that he _wanted_ to believe, because maybe this time... this time, he could start over, and he was reluctant to let go of the possibility no matter how outrageous and absurd it was. The stranger was extremely suspicious. They knew things they were not supposed to. Maybe this was a prank. Maybe this was a trap. But they had laid down all the evidence Akechi Goro needed, and he had now the choice to go along with them, or ignore them forever. He decided to follow his heart, and with hands that didn't shake anymore, he typed.  
  
"Will you really answer all my questions if I comply?"  
  
"Yes. Will you listen to what I have to say?" the stranger repeated a few seconds later only, as if they had been eagerly waiting for the teenager's reply.  
  
Akechi Goro wouldn't hesitate anymore. He didn't know if he was making the right choice, but now that he had come so far, he might as well see everything through to the end, and so he made up his mind.  
  
"OK." he simply sent. He didn't wait long before the next message arrived.  
  
"I am glad to hear that. I have not introduced myself yet. You can call me S."  
  
He knew, deep down, that he shouldn't trust the stranger – S, he should now say – so easily. They hadn't even given him a real name. But he was past caring at that point – perhaps this encounter was exactly what he had longed for all along.  
  
S began to explain everything the teenager needed to know through dozens of text messages. Akechi Goro read them all with care, making sure he didn't miss any single word.


	4. Case 3 - ELECTRIC

Akechi Goro had been aware of this for years, but the other world truly was the most convenient way to kill someone.  
  
All he had to do was get inside the target's Palace, find their Shadow, and then execute them. The target would die a few days later in the real world and his job would be complete without ever leaving any evidence or witness behind – the ideal outcome for a professional hitman.  
  
Yes, the other world was just like a playground... for assassins, that is. A paradise where even the least capable murderer could safely commit their crime and get away with it. It was no wonder Shidou Masayoshi had been so thrilled when Akechi Goro had decided to put himself at his disposal – he was a very clever man. He had understood right away how the teenager's potential could be cultivated into the deadliest and most effective weapon in the world. Even the adolescent hadn't realized at that time the extent of his powers and the possibilities they could bring – Shidou had been one step ahead. He had always been, Akechi Goro thought with a heavy heart. The encounter with the teenager's double on the cruise ship attested to that – finding out his father had planned since the very beginning to dispose of him as soon as he would no longer be useful hadn't been exactly pleasant. The young man did have his suspicions, but he had foolishly believed the older man would never seriously intend to go through with it.  
  
A sudden blow jolted him out of his thoughts and the teenager jumped back just in time to avoid the hit. One split second later and he would have been decapitated – he had been lucky enough to make it out with only a cut on the cheek and a few strands of hair scattering away. Wiping away the trickle of blood dripping off his face, he gave his enemy a defiant smile. The Shadows were particularly vicious today.  
  
Akechi Goro forced himself to clear his head. He really needed to get rid of this annoying habit he had to get lost in thought mid-battle. He couldn't allow himself to get distracted – they were out for his blood after all.  
  
Dodging with grace another hit that would have been fatal otherwise, the young man ripped his red mask off his face and called Robin Hood. The Shadows did not last long under the continuous stream of light and dark spells the teenager cast at them, and soon enough, only one was left – the strongest one, the one that had dodged all his hits until now.  
  
Akechi Goro was aware one single misstep could lead him to his death, but his excitement overpowered cautiousness by far. He could feel his blood rushing throughout his body, adrenaline spreading through his veins like a drug and taking over his mind. Fighting for his life washed the emptiness away – it made him feel alive. There was some kind of thrill in the other world he couldn't get anywhere else, like a reminder that he was not dead yet. The chill down his spine – due to nervousness or enjoyment, he wasn't sure – was evidence enough. Still, despite having _fun_ fighting Shadows, he had to admit being back in the other world made him uncomfortable.  
  
After all, this place was the birthplace of murder.  
  
As Akechi Goro was distracted yet again – he seriously had to get rid of this habit – the remaining Shadow, sharp enough to understand it was powerless against the teenager, called for reinforcements. It probably figured that if not a single hit would land, then surely attacking as a horde would make up for it, and the teenager quickly found himself surrounded by a pack of bloodthirsty Shadows. It was one of those times when he wished he could summon Loki and Robin Hood at the same time, but he knew that was impossible, much to his annoyance.  
  
Focusing on the strongest Shadow, the young man didn't notice one of the small fry sneaking up behind him and hitting him head-on with a weak but unexpected electric shock. Akechi Goro's body convulsed and he let out a faint yelp of pain – it hadn't hurt that much, but it still had been strong enough to stun him for a few seconds. Thankfully, he recovered just in time to dodge an attack from another Shadow that would have definitely killed him on the spot if it had landed completely, but his luck was starting to run out, for the Shadow had managed to leave a superficial yet painful laceration across his whole torso, and the young man groaned both in pain and frustration, annoyed at his own negligence.  
  
Clutching his wound, he gritted his teeth and retaliated by casting a deluge of spells that managed to thin out the large pack of Shadows. Yet, despite trying his hardest to fight back, he knew the tables had turned – the last hit had been way, way too close, even closer than the previous ones, and Akechi Goro didn't want his cockiness of all things to be his downfall. He figured retreating was the wisest decision to make for now and frantically looked around for any way to escape his predicament. He was lucky enough to notice a safe room nearby and, after ordering Robin Hood to cast his strongest spell as a diversion, he ran as fast as he could and locked himself in the room that mimicked a luxurious hotel suite.  
  
Sighing in weariness but also relief, Akechi Goro picked up a towel in the bathroom, soaked it in water, and then pressed it hard on his wound. The cold managed to soothe the pain only a little, but that was acceptable enough for mere first aid. Returning to the living room while still pressing the wet towel against his torso, he let himself fall in an armchair, removed his crimson mask and gently put it on a coffee table. The thrill of the fight had made him momentarily forget how tired he was and, upon closer inspection of his wound that still stung despite not being serious, he figured now was as good a time as any to take a break. He couldn't afford to rest for too long, though – the clock was ticking.  
  
Akechi Goro still couldn't believe only a few hours had passed since he woke up in the black corridor. So much had happened since then, and while he was glad he finally got a grasp on the unusual events he experienced today, he couldn't help entertaining the idea that he was still dreaming and would wake up any time now. But deep down, he knew all of this was real. He had really survived his father's Palace. He had really traveled back in time. He had really exchanged messages with someone who called themselves S. The Tokyo around him back then really was fake. The power of the Another Time Navi was real. This is how he got in this five star hotel after all, which he had visited one year ago under Shidou's orders. The host of this Palace was a corrupt journalist who didn't think twice about resorting to any tactic to get his scoops, not even outright lying if he could get away with it. He did have some genuine dirt on Shidou however, and that is why the older man had ordered Akechi Goro to dispose of him. The teenager didn't forget how annoyed he had felt when exploring this Palace for the first time – because he spent more time telling lies than the truth, the host had somehow managed to influence his Palace into creating hundreds of tricks and illusions that had been a real pain to deal with back then.  
  
And now, the Another Time Navi had brought Akechi Goro back to the very same Palace, one year before his near-death experience in the cruise ship. He recalled S' words, still vivid in his mind.  
  
_"I already told you, but let me repeat myself for clarity's sake. When you use the application, you are sent back in time for one hour, and will automatically return to the present after the hour has elapsed."_  
  
_"If you do not make any meaningful change in the past, the new present will be the same. But if you do make some major change, your actions might lead to a significantly different future."_  
  
_"When you go back to the future, you will not gain knowledge of what happened in this new history. You will have to figure it out by yourself."_  
  
Akechi Goro hadn't really understood that last rule at the time, but it had been the least of his worries. He had been way more concerned about the next rule S had described.  
  
_"You cannot decide where to go back in time when using the application. It will randomly send you to any point of your past, and the earliest time you can travel to is the day you received your Persona."_  
  
_"Why this day in particular?"_ Akechi Goro had asked after complaining to S about how this rule made everything way more complicated than it should be.  
  
_"You can use the Another Time Navi because you are a Persona user, and so it is understandable you cannot go further back in time before you acquired your power. May I continue my explanation?"_  
  
In hindsight, the teenager had the nagging feeling that S had been a bit too quick to change the subject, but decided to put the thought at the back of his mind for now. He tried to remember the most important rules they had explained to him.  
  
_"You also need to know that when the hour has elapsed, you will be brought back to a random moment in the new present. Let us say you travel back to June 6th, 2016. When your time is up, you might be sent to a present occurring only a few minutes later. The transition would be so seamless you would not even notice you returned. I believe you experienced this phenomenon earlier today."_  
  
S had been right. After reflecting on everything that happened since he left the black corridor, Akechi Goro had finally a solid grasp on the situation. When he had touched the ATN icon in the back alley, he had been sent two and a half years back in a period of his life where he had happened to wander into the very same alley, and this is why he hadn't noticed anything strange, like a jump cut for example. The incident with the old neighbor had been similar – he had only noticed something was off because her clothes had changed in the blink of an eye. That was understandable though – between her greeting to the teenager and her concern for him when he had felt dizzy, two and a half years had passed.  
  
_"But you could also be sent way later than June 6th, 2016 when you return to the future, and in that case, the transition would be anything but smooth. You might feel some discomfort at first, but you will get used to it, do not worry. This also means you will be missing days or even months of memories when you get back, and as I said before, you will have to figure out what happened during this missing period by yourself. Do you understand everything so far?"_  
  
Akechi Goro did. He couldn't help but feel disappointed, however – when S had told him about the ATN for the first time, he had imagined himself traveling to any point in the past as he pleased. Finding out it was the application itself that decided where he would go, whether it was in the past or future, had been an unexpected hindrance. He remembered asking how come he had to be bound by such a restricting rule. S had taken a while to reply, as if they were not sure themselves.  
  
_"This is just how the Another Time Navi works. I know it is quite the constraint, but there is nothing we can do about it."_  
  
Akechi Goro had groaned at the answer, but S hadn't let him linger on his frustration too long.  
  
_"Now, and this might be one of the most important things you need to know. When you go back in time, you go there as you are right now, that is to say in the body and mind of your seventeen years old self. Your current appearance, your current memories, your current abilities will all travel back in time with you, regardless of the paradox this could produce."_  
  
Those words opened something inside of Akechi Goro's mind, and he didn't take long to remember his own reflection staring at him from the shop window, back then in the lively street. He now understood why he hadn't looked any younger despite traveling back in time – essentially, he wasn't bound by time anymore. This meant that if he went back to the day of his tenth birthday for example, instead of being trapped in a powerless child's body, his adult self would actually _replace_ his child self for one hour. Not that it really mattered anyway, since S had made it clear the furthest point in time he could go back to was the day he awakened to Loki.  
  
_"Finally, and I cannot stress this enough. You cannot afford to lose your phone or to break it somehow. If this happens, you will of course not be able to use the application anymore, which could leave you forever stuck in a history where it would be impossible to save your friends by undoing the Palace."_  
  
Akechi Goro had wanted to correct S each time they referred to the Phantom Thieves as his friends, but he did not have the heart to do so. He had been more concerned about the ominous message – his phone was apparently just like a gambling chip he could not afford to lose, for he would have no way to replace it. Most people would probably not gamble such a precious chip that basically represented their lives, but Akechi Goro didn't really have a choice in the matter.  
  
_"I believe I told you everything you need to know about the application. Is there anything else you would like to ask?"_  
  
As he recalled the rest of the conversation, the young man absent-mindedly inspected the wound on his chest. The pain was starting to slowly fade away, not completely gone, but bearable enough. He had asked S how come four months of his life had apparently been stolen away from him, but they had claimed they had no idea what he was talking about. Akechi Goro might never have been a real detective, but it didn't take one to figure out this answer had been definitely suspicious – S had said they knew all about him after all. They had also been quite evasive when the teenager had asked about the source of their knowledge, whether it was on the giant Palace, the ATN, or himself. However, they hadn't hesitated when he had inquired about their motive for helping him. S had replied they shared a common objective – they wanted the world to be set free from the Palace, and Akechi Goro wanted to save the Phantom Thieves.  
  
_"Don't assume things like that! It is not about saving them in particular. It is about undoing the Palace."_ he had replied in embarrassment – S was too insightful for the teenager's own good, and he felt as though they could read him like an open book. They had apologized, but it was obvious they were aware Akechi Goro was lying.  
  
Still, while the young man understood the reasoning behind S' motivation, his instinct told him there was more to it. Had he really made the right choice by trusting them...?  
  
A new text message had broken him out of his thoughts, and his feelings of doubt had been suddenly replaced by a shot of adrenaline settling deep within his stomach upon reading it.  
  
_"I think this is it then. Remember, your friends are the cause of this giant Palace's existence, and you have to find out how to prevent them from doing so in the first place."_  
  
_"Why me anyway?"_ he had asked, waiting a few minutes before S answered.  
  
_"Because you fit all the criteria. You are a Persona user, which is a requirement to use the Another Time Navi. Your story is closely related to the Phantom Thieves, and so you have the power to directly interfere with their future if you make the right choices. And as I told you before, you are the only one who has access to the application. You could say that it has chosen you."_  
  
The teenager had been confused by S' choice of words. It had seemed off, as if they were somehow implying the Another Time Navi was  _sentient_. For some reason, the thought had made him uncomfortable, and he hadn't managed to shake off the bad feeling nagging at him while reading S' next message.  
  
_"Because you can go back in the past as many times as you wish, do your best to gather as many hints as possible that could lead you to the right track. Since you cannot decide where to go back, take it as an opportunity to learn as much as possible. This is quite similar to a process of trial and error, because the more you use the application, the higher your chances are to discover something useful. You never know where the most significant clue could be hidden."_  
  
Only a few seconds later, S had sent yet another message.  
  
_"Will you jump in?"_  
  
Akechi Goro had hesitated before answering. He had been resolute, and yet couldn't have denied the nervousness taking over his brain. What would be waiting for him when he would press the icon? Where would he be sent back? Would he really be able to uncover anything that could help him figure out how to prevent the Phantom Thieves from unknowingly creating this Palace?  
  
He had smiled despite himself. If he could have convinced himself he was a great detective, then surely he would be able to fake confidence enough that it would become real in his mind. Standing before him was nothing more than another case waiting to be solved. It felt intimidating, but Akechi Goro wouldn't run away.  
  
_"Yes."_ he had simply answered.  
  
_"I see. I wish you the best of luck then."_ S had sent back, and before he could change his mind, Akechi Goro had pressed the icon and winced slightly at the sudden sensation of pins and needles prickling his nerves, reminiscent of his first time using the application only a few hours before. He hadn't had the time to linger on it for long, though – the young man couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the world around him beginning to move at an extremely quick pace, like a video playing in fast-forward. He could catch here and there glimpses of old memories going so fast around him that he suddenly got the urge to throw up. Among the distorted images and sounds surrounding him, he could see Kurusu Akira talking to him, or the body of Okumura Kunikazu lying on the ground, or Niijima Sae dipping a sushi in soy sauce next to him, or Shidou's lips curling into a smirk of triumph upon learning one of his rivals had been successfully eliminated...  
  
And finally, he had seen the five star hotel materialize before his very eyes, and this is when the strange sensation had stopped. He hadn't had the time to process what happened, however, for he had been thrown in a luxurious hallway, more specifically amidst a large group of Shadows that of course attacked right off the bat, and now here he was.  
  
The Another Time Navi had truly worked, because Akechi Goro remembered fighting the very same group of Shadows one year ago. Back then, he had ended up running away, not strong enough to compete, but this time was different, for he had one more year of fighting experience behind him. Still, he had been too cocky – the cut on his torso and cheek could attest to that. Besides, he couldn't help but feel a small twinge of guilt, for he knew he was supposed to uncover the key that could undo the giant Palace, and all he did instead was fooling around. Then again, the fact it was the ATN that decided where he would be sent didn't help much... it would have been much more convenient if he could choose where to travel to. He didn't see how going back to the hotel Palace could lead him to the right track – as far as he was concerned, this period of his past was completely irrelevant to the Phantom Thieves.  
  
Without warning, a very loud banging sound echoed in the room and caused the teenager to jump. The front door of the suite shook hard, as if someone was trying to break it open with considerable strength, and Akechi Goro figured the Shadows, ready more than ever to fight, had finally caught on his hiding spot. The young man dropped the now stained towel on the ground, stood up and put his red mask back on his face. For the first time since he got here, he summoned Loki who appeared immediately before him. He chose to remain in his prince-like outfit, however – it was more practical for fighting than the armor, he had always thought.  
  
Bracing himself, Akechi Goro opened the door and was greeted by the nasty sight of dozens of Shadows going for the kill. Thanks to his quick reflexes, he was able to make the first move.  
  
"Come on, Loki, take them out. Brave Blade!"  
  
With a flow of overwhelming energy so strong it made the teen's hair and cape flutter violently as if caught in a storm, Loki summoned thousands of giant arrows made out of dark light, pouring down like a holy rain. Most of the Shadows were killed on the spot, but the strongest one avoided his attack yet again. It rushed out of the suite and went back to the luxurious hallway while giving a laugh that resonated in the whole room, as if to mock the teenager. Growing frustrated, Akechi Goro ran behind it, gripping his mask hard.  
  
"You bastard, don't dodge!" he spat in annoyance, getting ready to tear his mask off and cast another spell.  
  
All he got for an answer was an electric shock, thousand times stronger than the previous one. 50 000 volts coursed through his body and every single one of his muscles vibrated, contracted and tightened consecutively. Akechi Goro screamed in pain, his heart racing so fast he genuinely thought he was going into cardiac arrest. When the shock finally settled down after what had felt like hours, he collapsed to the floor like a rag doll, unable to keep the spasms of his body under control.  
  
The young man had no idea how long he had been knocked out. A faint smell of burnt flesh was in the air and caused him to stir weakly, but it was a familiar voice that helped him regain full consciousness.  
  
"Crow, are you alright?" the voice asked, clearly worried.  
  
Still convulsing, the teenager forced himself to look up and, through half-lidded eyes, he could see a silhouette slowly coming into focus. When it finally became distinct enough, Akechi Goro's eyes widened in surprise and he let a gasp escape his lips.  
  
Looming over him was Joker.


	5. Case 4 - JUDGE

Akechi Goro was used to an extraordinary life. Not as in amazing, but as unusual. The adolescent had probably experienced more abnormality in the seventeen years of his short life than the average middle-aged person. How many times exactly – he wasn't sure. He had lost count years ago.  
  
Most of those strange events had started on that fateful day, two and a half years ago now, when he was given the chance he had always hoped for. And as time went on, Akechi Goro saw the limits of the possible pushed back further and further away. The power to summon some kind of supernatural entity – his Persona, Loki – was one example. The existence of a hidden world bound by the cognition of the individual was another. Of course, nobody would believe something so ludicrous, and Akechi Goro probably wouldn't either had he not experienced it all first-hand.  
  
Absurd as it was, Akechi Goro genuinely thought his brain couldn't register surprise anymore. How could it, when the teenager was so used to a lifetime of strange, almost eerie phenomenons happening around him? His former occupation – the real one – had taught him to be ready to expect everything and anything that could happen. Surprise was nothing but a foreign concept to him, he believed.  
  
He had been proven wrong, however. If there was one thing he hadn't expected, it was the vision of the black-haired boy slowly coming his way and now kneeling down beside him. Akechi Goro just stared, enthralled. His sight lingered on the blood red gloves, the elegant black coat, the curly strands of hair, the sharp mask – it was Joker alright. There was no doubt about it.  
  
"Crow, are you alright?" the masked boy asked again with genuine concern reflected deep within his dark grey eyes. This act of kindness, no matter how small it was, made Akechi Goro's heart leap in his chest. Yet, he didn't know how he was supposed to react. Joker clearly didn't think the same, but the atmosphere felt awkward to the young man in white.  
  
Akechi Goro wanted to speak, but found out he couldn't – his screams of pain had left his throat torn and bloody. His body, still shaken up by the occasional convulsion, hurt all over, and he tried to ignore the unpleasant, stomach-churning smell of burnt flesh emanating from him. Concealed beneath his clothes were probably the nastiest injuries he had ever suffered, the kind that would leave permanent, grotesque scars. If only he knew how to cast a healing spell...  
  
As if Joker had read his mind, his eyes lit up, concern replaced by newfound energy. "They got you good, didn't they? Let me fix you."  
  
And on those words, he stood up and called one of his Personas in a tone that was, in Akechi Goro's opinion, a bit too theatrical. Then again, he wasn't that surprised – as meek and docile Kurusu Akira was, Joker compensated by being extravagant, even arrogant perhaps. In any case, now was not the time for unnecessary remarks, the teenager thought as he felt a welcome sensation of revitalization washing over him, cool and soothing like a holy waterfall.  
  
Joker's eyes were almost affectionate when he spoke. "Don't worry about the Shadows. I took care of them."  
  
With somewhat shaky legs, Akechi Goro climbed to his feet, feeling invigorated. It was as if nothing happened – the pain, the spasms, the convulsions, even the laceration on his torso, every single trace of his abused body was gone. The teenager brought a finger to his face, trying to feel the cut on his cheek. He couldn't find it anymore. With gratitude, he looked toward the black-haired boy who was smiling at him. He opened his mouth to mutter a timid "thank you", but stopped himself.  
  
Should he tell Joker what happened to him after the Phantom Thieves had escaped the engine room of the cruise ship? Should he tell him about the giant Palace? About the Another Time Navi? About S? Now that he thought about it, how come Joker didn't even seem surprised by his appearance? Did he somehow know Akechi Goro was alive the whole time? Besides, was Joker's compassion a hint that he had forgiven him for everything he did? Did Akechi Goro even deserve this chance?  
  
As if on cue, a gloved hand suddenly reached toward him and jolted him out of his thoughts. Joker gazed at the teenager and, in those eyes, Akechi Goro could see nothing but kindness. He took a tiny step back, left uneasy by the unexpected reaction he had apparently fueled in the black-haired boy's mind. Joker's lips curled again into a smile intended as reassuring.  
  
"Crow. Let's go. The others are waiting." he gently insisted as if talking to a newborn child, his gaze never averting from Akechi Goro's maroon eyes as he spoke. The young man felt as though the luxurious hallway had disappeared. No, the _whole world_ had suddenly vanished around him. Only Kurusu Akira and Akechi Goro remained.

The teenager focused his gaze on Joker's eyes for a few seconds, then on his open, red hand. It looked so inviting... so tempting...  
  
_No... something is wrong... this is not what I want..._  
  
Akechi Goro heard a tiny voice inside his head ring like an alarm bell – it was his own voice. He chose to ignore it. He had been accepted. He had been forgiven. He knew what he wanted. He wanted to stay with Kurusu Akira. Nothing else mattered anymore.  
  
The teenager closed his hand over Joker's own, and this is when he noticed his smile had changed – it was wrong. Disturbingly wrong. The black-haired boy's lips formed a smile, but the rest of his face was eerily still, and Akechi Goro swore he just saw a hint of _malice_ glint in his eyes for a split second.  
  
Joker's smile widened and he let out a snicker that turned the young man's blood to ice.  
  
"Ha... As if." he whispered as he slapped the other's hand away. Akechi Goro just stood there, dumbstruck, his heart beating faster by the minute. He couldn't comprehend what just happened.  
  
A sudden pain broke him out of his thoughts and the young man collapsed to the ground again, unable to so much as sit down. His body convulsed just once and, mouth agape, he realized the wound on his torso had reopened. Without thinking, he grazed his face with a trembling finger – the cut on his cheek had returned. It was as if Joker had never healed him at all.  
  
Joker slowly knelt down beside the teenager again and forcefully removed the crimson mask from his face. A mixture of hatred and disdain twisted the black-haired boy's features that Akechi Goro had always seen as soft. Joker's face right now was unnatural. It was something that should not be.  
  
"You really thought you were one of us, didn't you? That mask is the proof, right? Even your code name, Crow... we played along only because we wanted you to believe you had us fooled since the very beginning."  
  
Joker chuckled with genuine amusement, as if he was recalling a particularly entertaining story.  
  
"But to think that you truly enjoyed yourself when you were part of our group... I'll be honest, when Morgana said so, I had a hard time not bursting into laughter." he spat, and on those words, he listlessly dropped the red mask on the floor, away from the young man in white – his only chance to fight back was gone.  
  
Akechi Goro just stared. He understood the individual words. But he didn't understand their meaning once put together, or rather, he refused to. Inside his mind, something had broken. His increasing heart rate was the only indication he was physically alive.  
  
"Tell me, _Akechi_..." Joker began, stressing the last word with pure disgust as if only pronouncing it was like poison on his lips. "You thought you were granted another chance, didn't you? Something that could conveniently erase all the things you did?"  
  
It was obvious he didn't expect a reply from the injured teenager, for he continued without even allowing him the time to form an answer in his head. "Admit it, when you were told about the power to go back in time and the existence of the giant Palace, you thought you could atone for your sins, right? You thought it was finally your time to shine."  
  
His expression had turned into something unreadable as he spoke, but Akechi Goro didn't notice. Some thoughts had managed to pierce through the cloudy blankness that was currently his mind. How did Joker know...? He wanted to deny, he really did, but he couldn't. Everything the masked boy said was true.  
  
"You believed you could become some kind of hero needed by people, right? I bet you already pictured the headlines. _Akechi Goro, the acclaimed protagonist who saved the world from a lifetime of illusions_ , or something like that." Joker said as he laughed out loud. It was short-lived however – only a few seconds later had his mouth set into a grim line again. "Don't be ridiculous, Akechi. Have you ever heard of heroes who lie, betray and murder people? I know I haven't."  
  
Joker gestured toward the young man's clothes while letting a scoff escape his lips, as if he couldn't believe Akechi Goro's nerve to wear such a statement outfit. "Even dressed like this... like some kind of _prince_... who the hell do you think you are? What are you trying to prove?"  
  
With each word Joker spat came a twinge of pain digging deeper and deeper in Akechi Goro's heart, or rather what was left of it. It felt even more excruciating than the scorching sensation that was tearing at his skin all over his body. The electric spasms washing over him were starting to fade away and yet, he didn't have the strength or the will to do anything but simply watch. Joker was right. Akechi Goro was nothing more than an _impostor_. His royal outfit existed for the very purpose of deceiving the Phantom Thieves after all. He was not a hero. He had never been. He will never be. But he knew deep down, that he truly wanted to save the Phantom Thieves from their unexpected ordeal, not for his own sake, but theirs... he wanted to save _him_...   
  
Joker got up, looming over Akechi Goro as though he were nothing more than filth. He opened his mouth and spoke again, his words now cold, emotionless. "Hey, Akechi. Have you heard of that belief?"  
  
The teenager looked up. He knew he could speak if he forced his throat to cooperate, but he didn't bother. Joker would keep going anyway.  
  
"Some people are convinced that the way you live determines the way you die." Joker said matter-of-factly, as if this was the most obvious and mundane statement one could make. "Since you have always led an extraordinary life, isn't it only fair that you go in an unusual way too?" he added as he brought a hand to his chin in feigned reflection.  
  
Just as he spoke those words, Akechi Goro suddenly heard some kind of object falling beside him on the ground, producing a muffled, dull noise when it hit the carpeted floor. He slowly, almost mechanically turned his eyes toward the source of the sound.  
  
It was a gun. A revolver, in fact.  
  
The young man brought his face closer to the object. It was covered in a silvery, metallic shine. On the short barrel were engraved two words in capital letters. They read "The Judge."  
  
"Don't you think this end would be a perfect match for you? After all, you know how to handle a gun. I can attest to that." Joker said with a mocking yet bitter laugh. "Come on, Akechi. You know it's your only true chance for redemption."  
  
Akechi Goro gave him a blank stare. There was no subtlety about any of this – he knew what Joker expected from him. His eyes returned to the gun. He forced his body into a sitting position and reached out for it almost unwillingly, as if his arm was guided by some mysterious, evil force.  
  
The gun felt heavy in his hand despite its tiny size. Without thinking, he took a closer look. It was a five-shot revolver. The cylinder was full, and it didn't appear to have any safety protection. There was no doubt the weapon was real – like Joker had said, Akechi Goro did have better knowledge about firearms than most people.  
  
He brushed a gloved finger against the letters engraved on the barrel as a mix of adrenaline and fear dawned fully on him. The words felt threatening, dangerous. Even as his blank mind suddenly felt cluttered with thousands of emotions, he saw Joker looking at him expectantly, as if Akechi Goro's turmoil was nothing more than a show.  
  
Maybe he was right to think so after all. He couldn't blame him – the teenager in the prince outfit deserved Joker's scorn. Akechi Goro was the defendant. Kurusu Akira was the judge. The verdict... "Guilty," of course. That was no big surprise, really. Akechi Goro was a murderer after all. And in his hand was his sentence – the final stop for killers.  
  
With a hand that didn't shake, the teenager slowly brought the gun to his temple, staring at Joker all the while. The black-haired boy was now exuberant – any trace of his composure was long gone. His sudden glee was quickly replaced by surprise, however – Akechi Goro had forced himself to speak despite his throat protesting against the unwelcome effort.  
  
"You're right. I did things no one should ever do. I hurt many people, including you and the others, just for the sake of a selfish and foolish goal." he said, his voice hoarse, yet still clear enough.  
  
Joker's smile returned, neither friendly nor reassuring, only contemptuous. "That's right... then how about you join them now? All the people you murdered?"  
  
Akechi Goro ignored him. "Everything you said is true. I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to be needed by people... loved and accepted for who I am. And I did believe that if I could find a way to undo the Palace, I could atone for everything I did and finally understand what it means to be acknowledged."  
  
It wasn't much, but saying those words aloud managed to lift some weight from Akechi Goro's heavy heart. Joker just stood still and watched him with piercing eyes, and so the other continued.  
  
"You said earlier that the way you live determines the way you die. I think you are right." he said slowly as he painstakingly stood up, every single word putting a strain on his voice. The masked man looked puzzled, as if he hadn't expected the situation to turn out this way. He stayed silent, however. There was no hint of menace in his eyes anymore, only blankness.  
  
"And this is why... an illusion like you shouldn't even exist in the first place! Just disappear!" Akechi Goro screamed as he shot once with precise, professional expertise.  
  
The bullet went cleanly through Joker's, no, the illusion's skull, and it dropped to the ground, its eyes wide with shock. Soon enough, it disappeared, leaving the teenager breathing heavily, all alone in the hallway of the hotel. Forcing himself to calm down, he wiped away some beads of sweat from his forehead. It was the second time he had "killed" Joker. He had felt gleeful the first time, because killing Kurusu Akira would bring him one step closer to achieving his goal, or so he had thought. But now, he felt some kind of physical pain spreading within him like poison, unrelated to the electric shock or the laceration on his chest.  
  
He had been taken aback at first, but Akechi Goro had figured out very quickly this Joker was nothing more than an illusion. It just didn't add up – the Phantom Thieves had started their activities around half a year after this period of Akechi Goro's life, and so there was no way Joker could actually be here. He knew where he was after all – the five star hotel Palace, which relied on tricks and illusions to drag its guests to their doom. Those illusions manifested into the victim's worst fears and worries. One year ago, Akechi Goro had seen his mother's facial features distort into something almost monstrous as she reminded him about how his very existence was the source of her self-destruction. The encounter had been so painful, Akechi Goro had actually enjoyed stealing the journalist's life – it was his well-deserved retribution, the teenager had thought at the time in spite.  
  
He had expected the same nightmare to occur again this time, and he was surprised that Kurusu Akira showed up instead of his mother. He wasn't sure what to make of this, but he figured it didn't really matter. The Judge, whose barrel was still smoking, felt somehow lighter in his hand. He gently put it on the ground to retrieve his red mask – he was glad to find out it was completely unscathed – and secured it on his face. The turbulence of the encounter had drowned it out, but the pain of his wounds was now coming back in full force and he gritted his teeth. With a gulp of apprehension, he rolled up one of his sleeves and sure enough, he was greeted by the sight of grotesque electric burns covering his forearm in its entirety, and he figured the rest of his body wasn't much different. Why did the fake Joker's healing have to be an illusion too?  
  
Akechi Goro let a long sigh escape his lips. Despite knowing full well this Joker was a fake, its words had still pierced through his heart like a white-hot blade. What if the real Kurusu Akira thought the same?  
  
... No. Akechi Goro was foolish. A tiny hint of relief, so faint it was almost imperceptible, slowly made its way into his mind. This Palace feasted on its victims' worst fears, but the teenager knew his own dread was unjustified – the Phantom Thieves hadn't forgiven him, yet their willingness to accept him back within their group, no matter how foolish the decision was, had filled Akechi Goro's heart with repressed gratitude. A newfound resolve dawned on him. He would find a way to break them free from the Palace no matter what, and he wouldn't allow himself to die before accomplishing this goal.  
  
Frustration and weariness that had previously taken over his mind were now entirely gone, stepping aside for a sensation similar to peace of mind. He had believed his first real trip back in time had been completely useless. He hadn't discovered any clue after all – all he got from this past hour was about three to four near-death experiences. But he knew he was wrong. Acknowledging his crimes and his true feelings had left Akechi Goro with a very foreign sensation of comfort washing over him. Being able to finally pour away some of the emotions he had kept bottled up for so long had felt more than welcome. It was funny, he thought, how Akechi Goro, the maskless detective prince, always concealed his feelings behind a bright smile while Crow, the masked teenager, had – although reluctantly – laid bare his emotions for the Phantom Thieves to see several times now.  
  
A sudden dizziness eclipsed his thoughts and Akechi Goro knew that his time was up, that the Another Time Navi was about to bring him back to the present. Bile rose up in his throat as the world around him began moving in fast-forward. The last thing he saw was the Judge at his feet, quickly replaced by dozens of images going too fast for him to process. It felt strange, he thought, to witness those fragments of his life as if watching a movie. Some of them were vivid in his mind, others memories he had forgotten. The sensation eventually came to a halt, and Akechi Goro's blood ran cold when he realized where the Another Time Navi had decided to bring him back.  
  
The room was familiar – he had visited it many times before. The expensive bottles were as always neatly lined up on the shelf to his left. The bookshelf was filled with valuable works that looked a bit too new to have been more than merely skimmed over. To his right stood the usual potted green plant that added a touch of sophistication to the whole scene. And in front of him, sitting behind a desk made of the most luxurious ebony wood, was the man he hated from the bottom of his heart. The man he had appointed as his worst enemy. The man he was unlucky enough to have for father.  
  
He had been brought back to one of his secret meetings with Shidou Masayoshi.


	6. Case 5 - CROWS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, guys. I wish you all a Happy New Year! When the next chapter is published, about 1/3 of the story will be now behind. Since I'm sticking to my "one chapter a week, usually on Sundays" schedule (oops... this chapter is one day late, sorry about that), this means the last chapter should be published around... mid-April, a couple of weeks after P5's release in the west. Talk about a long ride! Please stick with the story until the very end.  
> More importantly, I wanted to thank everyone for showing me so much support. I sincerely appreciate all the comments and kudos, and of course I thank all the silent readers too! I hope you will all enjoy following Goro in his crazy adventures and trust me, crazy is an understatement. So much for wanting to get some rest, Goro.

Akechi Goro didn't understand. The blood in his veins had slowed to a crawl, and he didn't know why.  
The dizziness from the trip had stepped aside for an unexpected, incapacitating sense of dread eating his mind away, and he had to do his very best to push back the cloudy blankness threatening to overcome him.

_Why do I feel so... scared?_

His confusion was legitimate. He did escape death more than once today and besides, it wasn't the first time he had been in this room, with this man. So how come the mere sight of Shidou Masayoshi was now enough to turn his blood to ice, while Akechi Goro was able to stare death in the face without so much as flinching? He had always taken the man's piercing gaze in stride before, but now, something had changed, something he couldn't put his finger on.

A light flare streaked Shidou's glasses as he made himself more comfortable in his chair, and Akechi Goro couldn't help but swallow hard. The atmosphere in the room was so overpowering he felt physically crushed, as if his shoulders were suddenly burdened with a massive, invisible weight.  
Shidou's face was unreadable, as usual. If he noticed the teenager's nervousness holding him in place, it didn't show.

"Well, why did you cut yourself off? Keep going." he said, a hint of impatience piercing through his voice.

A slow drop of sweat trickled down Akechi Goro's back. Before he could even process what was going on, his lips had already automatically parted to reply.

"... What do you mean, Shidou-san?"

The older man snapped back right away, clearly annoyed at his subordinate's lack of focus. "What's wrong with you? You were in the middle of your report and suddenly interrupted yourself."

"Ah... i-is that so...?"

Clearly, this wasn't Akechi Goro's brightest moment, but it was the least of his worries. How could he answer Shidou when he had no idea what he was asking him about? And more importantly, how could he figure it out without appearing suspicious? If only he could discreetly check the date on his phone...  
Fortunately, Shidou spared him the trouble, for he clarified, albeit grudgingly.

"So, tell me. Okumura has one, right? One of those worlds."

Something clicked inside the young man's mind upon hearing those words and a hint of relief washed over him. He finally realized where the Another Time Navi had brought him back – to that day of September, almost a year after his expedition to the hotel Palace, where Shidou had asked him about his investigation of Okumura Kunikazu. His father had a talent for sniffing out potential threats and, even if Shidou wasn't aware of it yet, Akechi Goro knew that Okumura would almost betray them soon enough. In a few weeks, the teenager would silence him before he could reveal the mastermind behind the conspiracy surrounding Japan's ruling party. Or rather, he technically already did. It was only at that moment Akechi Goro realized how bizarre his situation truly was.

With newfound confidence, he answered, repeating the same words he had said in the previous history. "Yes. It will be easy to dispose of him... if it comes to that." 

He knew this was exactly what Shidou wanted to hear, and sure enough, a glint of triumph replaced the annoyance in his eyes. "I see... I see. Very good."

Akechi Goro allowed his body to relax a little but the older man's voice rang again, nothing short of a whiplash.  
  
"In case it becomes a necessity... try to stay alive. We wouldn't want you to die on the job." he said as he jerked his chin toward Akechi Goro himself.

The teenager blinked at him, confused by his unexpected concern. As he mechanically raised a hand to his own chin in reflection – a habit he got from his detective days – he noticed it, and the sight twisted his stomach into a sickening knot.

Almost every last inch of his bare arms was covered in ugly scars, faded, yet still very noticeable. It didn't hurt to the touch, but the sensation of irregular bumps, cracks and torn skin was almost repulsive. Akechi Goro's first reaction was astonishment, but Shidou gave him the answer before he even had the time to ask the question.

"It's been almost a year, and while they healed, those scars will never completely fade away, will they? Be more careful next time."

Understanding dawned fully on him as the teenager suppressed a bitter snicker from escaping his lips. It seemed his father had this strange but powerful ability to cloud Akechi Goro's mind, leaving behind only childish naivety. Shidou wasn't worried about losing Akechi Goro himself. He was worried about losing his efficient little hitman and right-hand man. And what would a leader be with a stump for a right hand? The hitman's existence was necessary to him, not the person themselves, and it made sense Shidou was unwilling to witness his subordinate face a premature death if he could help it. 

The words "premature death" jostled something inside his mind, and Akechi Goro suddenly felt a cold lump form in the pit of his stomach. A wave of realization washed over him, pouring down like a hard rain. He now understood what had changed between Shidou and him, and why being in his mere presence made him feel so uneasy, something that had never happened before. The last time they met, Akechi Goro and Shidou Masayoshi were working together. Of course, the teenager had planned to betray him all along, but the fact remained they were on the same side. Shidou was his superior, and Akechi Goro was his subordinate. They were allies amidst the conspiracy, they fought for the same cause – or so the older man believed.

Now however, thanks to his newfound knowledge opening his eyes, the teenager understood that standing before him wasn't his superior anymore. He was the man who had planned Akechi Goro's death since the very beginning, if his double's words in the engine room were to be trusted. Besides, the mere existence of the other Akechi was evidence enough, now that he thought about it. He had been Shidou's messenger, born from the perception of his mind. What the fake Akechi was, Shidou considered it the truth, and that was one pill the real Akechi Goro had much trouble swallowing.  
  
What was going on inside Shidou's mind in that very moment anyway? Akechi Goro did his very best to perceive any kind of emotion in those eyes, but to no avail. Behind those orange-tinted glasses, he could see nothing but blankness. Had Shidou already hired another hitman to dispose of him at that point? Was he eager to have him killed off? Neutral?  
  
As he was pondering over his father, Akechi Goro absent-mindedly brushed his forearm with a finger, his heart suddenly leaping in his chest at the already forgotten sensation of the scars marking his skin. He had believed nothing he did in his trip back in time had been significant enough to change the future and yet, he had been proven wrong, as the scars could attest. Those were due to the electric shock, there was no doubt about it. He gritted his teeth in frustration – it seemed one misstep could lead him to a less than pleasant future, and if he still bore today the mark of the injuries he had technically suffered one year ago, he didn't dare imagine what kind of other consequences his choices would have if they turned out to be wrong. The scars served as a reminder, but also as an ominous warning.  
  
Shidou stood up and redirected the young man's attention to him. "I believe we are done for today. By the way, I know it's still summer, but I'd rather have you cover up those arms..."  
  
Tension filled the air. The teenager just gave him a blank stare, swallowing the words he wanted to say.  
  
"Also, Akechi..." Shidou continued, his voice slow and enigmatic, as if he was about to say something that could turn Akechi Goro's life upside down.  
  
He straightened up right away, almost like a knight welcoming his king. "Y-Yes, Shidou-san?"  
  
"Don't call me by my name anymore."  
  
"... Yes, sir." he answered, his body stiff.  
  
And on those words, the teenager was dismissed and he quietly left his father's office, closing the door behind him. With a sigh, he leaned against the corridor wall in weariness – only now did he notice his heart pounding in his chest. The encounter went better than expected but even so, Shidou's overwhelming, threatening presence made the teenager feel as insignificant as an ant crossing the path of some vicious dog. In Akechi Goro's mind, his father fueled nothing but contradictions. He hated him and wanted to see him fall into disgrace, but desperately sought his approval all the same. He wanted to gloat over Shidou's name becoming the laughing stock of the whole world and yet deep down, he only longed for his father to genuinely love him and acknowledge him as his son. Of course, this would never happen, and he quickly discarded the thought. Maybe there was a reason Akechi Goro never experienced parental love. Maybe he didn't deserve it. He would probably never know. But he refused to let gloom settle in his mind and after vigorously shaking his head as if to clear it, he checked the date on his cell phone. It read September 13, 2016.  
  
His legs carrying him almost unconsciously, he exited the building, focusing on the next action he should take. He could use the ATN and go back in time right away, but S' words echoed in his head, reminding him he should take every opportunity he could get to gather clues about the Phantom Thieves' actions. He eventually found himself in a playground, small and deserted, as twilight had already stepped aside for nighttime a while ago. In the middle of the sandbox stood a set of swings, and a sudden, childish urge took over his mind. He sat there on one of the swings, alone. The weather was mild and while it was already evening, the street lights were strong enough to illuminate the teenager's surroundings. He found some comfort in the pleasant temperature of this summer night and with newfound vigor, Akechi Goro took out his cell phone and contacted S.  
  
"I'm back." he simply typed.  
  
As usual, the reply came extremely fast. Did S expect his messages all day long, dropping everything as soon as their phone buzzed?  
  
"How do you feel?" they asked, and Akechi Goro's eyes widened ever so slightly – he had expected S to ask him about the results of his trip, yet they appeared to be more concerned about his well-being, and the teenager was grateful for this act of consideration.   
  
"I'm fine. But I didn't find anything that could help me prevent the creation of the Palace."  
  
There was no hint of discouragement in S' words. "This is unfortunate, but understandable. You were sent around one year back, is that correct? It would be extremely unlikely to find a connection between such a distant past and the Phantom Thieves."  
  
S was right, of course. This is exactly what he had told himself after all. After a moment of reflection, whose silence was pierced only by the chirping of crickets, Akechi Goro typed his next message. "You know, even though I experienced it for myself, I still have a hard time believing all of this is real. The time traveling, I mean."  
  
He didn't wait long for S' answer. "When the world around you turns out to be a lie, I think everything is possible."  
  
He had nothing to say in return – S had a point. Still, he couldn't help but wonder how come his life had turned out this way. From escaping death in a sinking ship to finding out he could travel back in time in order to undo a fake manifestation of the world... there really was no room for boredom in Akechi Goro's life. It wasn't even like he sought excitement, instead, it was turbulence itself that seemed naturally drawn to him. Maybe this was some kind of compensation, given to him by a superior force? He couldn't say it was a blessing, though. He would have been more than satisfied with a boring, yet normal family life.  
  
His phone buzzed in his hand, signaling him a new message from S. "What are you going to do now?"  
  
He didn't answer immediately. He could try his luck and use the ATN again, hoping it would send him to a more relevant part of his past, or stick around a bit longer just in case. Something inside his mind – he couldn't call it his detective instinct anymore – told him there was nothing wrong with investigating this new history a little. Still, what was he supposed to do? What was the first step to take? If only he could at least narrow down the time frame of the Palace's creation...  
  
The thought had barely crossed his mind than he parted his lips in astonishment, struck by a hammer of realization so strong and obvious he wondered how come he took so long to figure it out. He frantically looked around for any hint of passersby and, after making sure he was alone, he summoned his other self.  
  
"Come, Loki." he whispered as his eyes darted everywhere around him just in case an unexpected witness showed up. The decision was bold, hasty even, but he had to make sure.   
  
The familiar wave of warm energy enveloped Akechi Goro's body as his summer uniform turned into the dark, constricting suit, helmet, gauntlets and all. Loki too appeared, tall, imposing, almost smirking, and the teenager just stared in awe, amazed at the huge progress he just made in a few minutes. The fact Loki answered his call in that moment was exactly the clue he had longed for – on September 13th, 2016, the Palace was already in place. This meant at that point, the Phantom Thieves' actions had already unknowingly led to its creation, and some weight lifted from the teen's heart. This made everything easier, way easier, and he couldn't help but smile at this turn of events.  
  
After dismissing Loki and witnessing his clothes return to normal, he took out his phone again, eager to share his discovery with S. The small burst of euphoria pouring over him was short-lived, however. A familiar voice suddenly pierced the silence and turned his blood to icy water.  
  
"I knew it... he was a Persona user all along... but he was also the one with the black mask Madarame and Kaneshiro were talking about...? The one behind... everything?" the voice pondered, its pitch higher than normal.  
  
Turning his head so fast he swore he strained a muscle in his neck, he saw him. There stood a cat in the darkness, his blue gaze so intense Akechi Goro felt as if his entire being, body and soul, was being pierced by daggers. He knew who the cat was, of course, and with that recognition came shock. He was Morgana, the Phantom Thieves' guide and Kurusu Akira's close friend.  
There was no hint of surprise in the cat's eyes, only something akin to realization. For a moment, they stared at each other without so much as twitching, as if some kind of mysterious force was holding them in place. Unease and adrenaline were beginning to mix as the reality of the situation dawned on the teenager. He had to do something, anything, and fast. With shaky legs, he stood up and faced the cat with caution, in fear a single brisk movement would set him off. He couldn't help but curse himself all the while – summoning Loki had been completely stupid and reckless, and he had the nagging feeling he was now about to pay the price for his foolishness.  
  
As if on cue, the cat's fur bristled, and every single word he said came as a blow. "Hmph, looks like I'll have to go back to those guys sooner than I thought. Okumura's Palace will have to wait!"   
  
And before Akechi Goro could even process what was happening, Morgana had already run past him, fleeing so fast he didn't bother giving chase. The cat had now disappeared in the night without leaving a trace behind, and the teenager was left alone, just standing there, dumbstruck. It seemed his future had just changed in a big way, to say the least. Morgana was going to tell the rest of the Phantom Thieves about his discovery, there was no doubt about it. And if the cat was clever enough, he would also realize right away the world around them right now was a Palace – Loki was the proof. An overpowering feeling of dread settled deep within his stomach and Akechi Goro found it harder and harder to stand on his legs. Was this a signal to use the Another Time Navi and erase this blunder?   
  
As he wondered whether he should go back in time or not, a part of him, almost inaudible, expressed some kind of curiositythat he believed was unnecessary and, to be honest, almost inappropriate. He had more important things to do after all. But even so, he couldn't deny it was _excitement_ that was rushing through his veins, he couldn't deny how eager he felt to find out exactly what was going to happen as this new future unfolded before his eyes... what did he have to lose anyway? It wasn't like he had a time limit. The decision was childish, but Akechi Goro never pretended to be mature. Not anymore, that is.  
  
With somewhat trembling hands, he finally replied to S, his words concise. "I'll stick around a bit longer." He figured he could share his discovery about the Palace's time frame later and if he were honest, he had to admit this unexpected turnabout regarding Morgana had almost eclipsed everything else. The cat should be close to reuniting with the Phantom Thieves by now, and Akechi Goro wondered if this could be the opportunity he had sought out. With excited nervousness consuming his mind, he left the playground and headed home. The next day couldn't come soon enough.  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't have noticed it, of course, but Morgana wasn't the only witness in the playground tonight. A couple of crows had been perched on a tree nearby and soon enough, another four had joined them. Nothing that happened this evening got past their piercing stare. Many superstitions surrounded crows throughout the world – some saw them as symbols of good luck and health, others as omens of death and misfortune. Now, whether it was good luck of misfortune that awaited Akechi Goro at the end... the jury was still out.


	7. Case 6 - SECRET

Akechi Goro was a morning person, but if there was one thing he didn't want to do right now, it was opening his eyes. The warmth under the covers felt too good, too comfortable.  
  
His classmates were probably in the middle of a particularly hard lesson while he was lolling around in bed. In any other circumstances, the mere prospect of skipping class would never have crossed his mind, but why would he care, now that he had the Another Time Navi in his possession? One tap of the finger and all the evidence of his laziness potentially damaging his reputation would be disposed of, just as easily as wiping a white board clean. He knew the ATN wasn't supposed to be used that way but then again, in spite of everything, Akechi Goro was human, and a teenager, no less. Was it really wrong to skip school and indulge in some sleep once in a while? After so many years spent playing the role of the perfect, flawless boy, he figured he deserved at least that much. It was almost liberating, in a way, to be able to do something as mundane as sleeping in without fearing the consequences.  
  
While he was pleased with this newfound freedom, tiny seeds of disappointment had managed to dull his superficial happiness. More than a week had passed since Akechi Goro's encounter with Morgana and, to his surprise, nothing had happened at all, no confrontation, no phone call, no text message, nothing. Finding out the detective on their case was actually a Persona user all along, and possibly the one behind all the incidents happening in Tokyo, would surely lead the Phantom Thieves to investigate, wouldn't it?  
  
Even so, they never tried to contact him despite the ease of the task. Akechi Goro was a celebrity after all, and his personal information such as his address, his school, or his phone number was no secret – the giant pile of chocolate waiting for him on his doorstep last Valentine's Day was evidence enough. The Phantom Thieves could have contacted him easily if they had wanted to, but they had chosen to stay silent. Akechi Goro didn't understand why, and so he had waited.  
  
Even S, usually so calm and collected, had trouble holding impatience in. "I know there is no rush, but don't you think it is about time you do something? You cannot wait for them forever." is what they had said, and the young man knew they were right. Akechi Goro was only wasting his time. Those past ten days had been absolutely insignificant – he had attended school only with the hope to run into Kurusu Akira on the way, but it never happened. This was quite strange, as both teenagers often met by coincidence in the subway station. It was almost as if the black-haired boy was avoiding him...  
  
The shot of euphoria rushing through his veins due to his discovery in the playground was now a distant memory. Even S had seemed excited, praising the teenager for making such a giant leap in progress and encouraging him to keep it up. Their wish hadn't been fulfilled, however. The progress had slowed to a standstill.  
  
Akechi Goro grudgingly peeked out of the covers and squinted his eyes as tiny yet bright rays of sunlight shone on them. The sun of September was radiant enough to lighten his surroundings into half-darkness. His bedroom had seen better days – the usually tidy room was in a state so deplorable one could believe a tornado had made its way into it. The text books left open on the desk, the clothes discarded everywhere, the trash can filled to the brim, the laptop collecting dust, the case files scattered on the ground... this scene was a sure way to ruin his squeaky clean reputation. Then again, he couldn't say he really cared, now that he had the Another Time Navi.  
  
However, he did care about S' words, and a feeling of guilt pierced through his sleepy brain. He couldn't laze around any longer. If the Phantom Thieves didn't plan to come to him, then he would simply have to go to them instead. The prospect was both exciting and frightening, but he refused to let nervousness get the better of him – he needed clues, and the Phantom Thieves might provide him with some.  
  
After freshening up, he reached for his summer uniform but stopped dead in his tracks as Shidou's words echoed in his head. He was reluctant to do so, but perhaps he should follow the older man's advice and cover up his arms. Those past days had been enough for him to realize he really could do without the unnecessary attention, and so he put his usual, long-sleeved blazer on. He then sent a message to S, short, but intended as reassuring. "I'll get going."  
  
The train ride was straightforward and soon enough, he reached his destination. With a hint of apprehension settling in his stomach, he found himself staring at the front door. It was quite bold of him to show himself there, too bold perhaps. This was one decision he might come to deeply regret, but he was just too curious to find out what was lying ahead of him. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door.  
  
Save for the owner busy washing some glasses, the place was completely deserted. It made sense, since the Leblanc coffee shop was usually more populated around nighttime. Akechi Goro whispered a greeting as he sat on his usual chair at the counter, and the owner nodded at him in a sign of recognition.  
  
"If it isn't the detective. What's your order?"  
  
"The usual, please." Akechi Goro said, his voice soft. Sakura Sojiro might appear rude at first sight, but the teenager didn't mind. It was a welcome change of pace actually, way different from the shower of superficial admiration constantly pouring over him, no, _suffocating_ him.  
  
His eyes darted around, looking for the black-haired boy only to find not a single trace of him. His confusion must have been apparent on his face, for Sakura Sojiro answered his silent question while serving him a cup of coffee.  
  
"If you're looking for Kurusu, he should be on his way from school. I've got errands to do and told him to take over for me while I'm away, so he knows he can't fool around too long."  
  
"I see..." Akechi Goro simply replied, gazing at the cup of coffee between his hands. The aroma wafting from it was sweet and pleasant.  
  
Sakura Sojiro appeared to be in the mood for small talk, for he spoke again as he resumed washing glasses. "So, you're not at school?"  
  
"Work came up." the teenager lied without blushing.  
  
"You don't really look like you're working to me..." the older man muttered under his breath, as if he had intended to keep the words to himself. Akechi Goro pretended not to hear, and Sakura Sojiro continued. "So, how is the prosecutor doing? You are her co-worker, right?"  
  
"You mean Sae-san?... She's fine." _I think._  
  
The sudden question had caught Akechi Goro off-guard. The hectic events happening around him had completely pushed Niijima Sae away from his mind. The last time he met her was on that day when he used the Another Time Navi for the first time, technically two and a half years ago, but he knew he had seen her again as the application sent him to the future. He just couldn't remember it.   
  
"It's been a while since her last visit. I think it was around two months ago now. We had a... little argument." Sakura Sojiro confessed and he tensed ever so slightly, the motion not escaping Akechi Goro's eyes. Come to think of it, he did remember scolding Niijima Sae in the previous history and telling her she went too far, but what was it about again? Was it related to the shop owner?  
  
Akechi Goro decided to play things safe. "I am not sure what this argument could have been about, but I hope it settled down since then. Sae-san can be quite tactless when she wants to be." he replied as he brought the cup of coffee to his lips. "Ah, don't tell her I said that..."  
  
The shadow of a smile appeared on the older man's face and, just when he was about to answer, the chiming of the bell at the front door rang out. The peace of mind Akechi Goro felt in that moment quickly gave way to apprehension, for stepping through the door was Kurusu Akira, but also his friends, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Including Morgana, he counted seven.   
  
_Wait, seven? Shouldn't they be eight?_  
  
It didn't take long to figure out who was missing – Okumura Haru was nowhere to be seen. He didn't get the opportunity to linger on her curious absence, for seven pairs of eyes, widening in disbelief at first, were now glaring at him, and he could feel his body slightly dampening with cold sweat in reaction. He had expected Kurusu Akira to come home alone, and having the others with him was something he hadn't taken into account. Still, as always, Akechi Goro remained impassive.  
  
It was Sakura Sojiro who broke the silence, not oblivious to the sudden change of atmosphere in the room. "Here you are. Well, I'll get going." he said while removing his apron, and after glancing at the group, he left the shop. The door had barely closed that everyone began to talk at once. The clamor made it hard to tell which voice belonged to whom.  
  
"So Morgana was telling the truth?" "You are a Persona user, aren't you?" "Are you behind the berserk incidents?" "You know about the other world, right?" "My sister doesn't know about your secret, does she?" "What is your goal?" "Why did you even come here anyway?" "Are you still planning to send us to jail?" "You approached Akira only because you wanted to spy on him, huh?"  
  
The questioning eventually turned into accusations that Akechi Goro took in stride. Kurusu Akira had stayed silent and, as if to save the brown-haired boy from his predicament, he finally spoke.  
  
"Calm down."  
  
His voice had been barely louder than a whisper, but he had made his words a command. An awkward silence filled the room. Everyone turned around and faced him as he spoke again.  
  
"I would appreciate it if you could go upstairs while I'm talking with Akechi." he said, his voice clear. "Please." he added after a short pause, as if he knew his request was unreasonable.  
  
A murmur of disapproval rose from the small crowd surrounding him. Just as Sakamoto Ryuji was about to protest, someone grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"You heard him, Ryuji. Let's go upstairs." Takamaki Ann told him, almost like a mother scolding her child. Admitting defeat, the others followed suit, not without shooting Akechi Goro a dirty look. Relief washed over him and he thanked Kurusu Akira, genuinely grateful for his initiative.  
  
"Don't mention it." he simply said. He didn't look at Akechi Goro so much as he watched him with piercing eyes, like a wary policeman apprehending a criminal. "To be honest, I wasn't sure whether to confront you or not, but I might as well finish what the others started. So, is it true? You really are a Persona user, and you know about the other world, don't you?"  
  
He didn't answer right away. What would the best approach be? Should he tell Kurusu Akira about everything that happened to him, from Akechi Goro joining the Phantom Thieves to his supposed death in the cruise ship, without forgetting about how he betrayed them? He would only make a fool of himself at best, or appear like a madman at worst. After all, none of this happened yet. The same went for the existence of the Another Time Navi – Kurusu Akira would never believe him. So what should he say?  
  
An idea suddenly came to him while he was lost in thought. The payoff could be as great as the idea risky. "How do you know?" he asked with feigned surprise.  
  
"Back in June when I first met you, you heard someone speak even though you were not supposed to. Only Persona users can hear Morgana... the cat you just saw."  
  
It took some time for Akechi Goro to process this new fact. Was that how they found out he had lied back then?  
  
"But more importantly, Morgana saw you a few days ago... he said you summoned a Persona and that your clothes turned into an armor, with a black visor."  
  
Kurusu Akira paused, attentive to any kind of reaction from the teenager, whose face was unreadable. He continued. "One of our targets told us there's a black-masked Persona user who murders people or makes them go berserk inside the other world. And you just happen to fit all the description."  
  
Wariness had evolved into distrust as he talked. Akechi Goro didn't flinch. He knew exactly what to say.  
  
"I'm not. I think you're mistaking me for someone else."  
  
The black-haired boy stared at him in disbelief. Clearly, he hadn't expected that reply. "Really...? Do you have proof?"  
  
Akechi Goro didn't answer. He did something better than that – he summoned Robin Hood and Kurusu Akira just stood there, mouth agape at the sight of the imposing Persona and the teenager's clothes turning into something similar to a prince outfit. A red mask was sitting on his face, not looking even remotely similar to a black visor.  
  
"This is not... what Morgana described..." he said slowly, clearly shaken up. "This is almost like the polar opposite..."  
  
Akechi Goro's expression stayed neutral when he dismissed Robin Hood, as if he had done nothing more exciting than showing Kurusu Akira a paper cut on his hand. Straightening up on his chair, he spoke. "You're right, I am a Persona user. I've been one since before we even met. But I am not the one behind the incidents you described."  
  
The black-haired boy was at a loss for words. It took him a while to recover. "So, what's your goal? You obviously know we are the Phantom Thieves. Do you intend to arrest us?"  
  
Akechi Goro smiled, pleased at this turn of events. "Not at all. Actually, I wanted to ask for your help."  
  
"Help?" Kurusu Akira repeated.  
  
"You know, right? That this world is fake. It's a Palace." the teenager asked, his eyes never averting from the black-haired boy's. After a brief moment, the latter nodded, but stayed silent.  
  
"Do you know something about it? What led to its creation, perhaps...?" he continued. Now was the perfect time to gather some information. It was almost like being a real detective, he thought.  
  
Kurusu Akira took a moment to answer and his words dashed Akechi Goro's hopes in the blink of an eye. "I have no idea. Actually, we noticed it only when Morgana told us about his encounter with the black-masked guy who summoned a Persona in the real world. At first, we believed it was something only he could do, but when we called ours, they appeared just fine. That's when we realized."  
  
Akechi Goro's shoulders slumped as he forced himself to repress a sigh. So much for getting answers. Still, he refused to let disappointment drag him down, and for the first time today, he decided to be honest.  
  
"My sole interest is to undo this giant Palace. Since you are a Persona user too, I thought you might know something I didn't." he explained, his voice low.   
  
Kurusu Akira's facial features were more serious than ever when he answered. "Sorry I couldn't help you. This Palace seems different from the others, and we're all completely stumped."  
  
Akechi Goro kept quiet, deeply in thought. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Kurusu Akira was worried, even if he clearly would never admit it out loud. The black-haired boy's tone of voice softened. "I guess I have to apologize for doubting you. I'll tell the others to come down and–"  
  
The teenager cut him off, knowing Morgana would see through his lie and insist that Akechi Goro was truly the person he saw. "Don't inconvenience yourself. I should get going anyway." he said as he left on the counter the 280 yen for the coffee and then stood up. "I have work to do."  
  
Walking past Kurusu Akira whose eyes had narrowed – probably in suspicion, Akechi Goro thought – he suddenly remembered one detail that had fueled his curiosity. "By the way, where is Okumura-san?"   
  
"Okumura-san? Who are you talking about?" Kurusu Akira answered right away, genuinely confused.  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes widened. He was certain that by that point, the short-haired girl had already joined the Phantom Thieves of Hearts – he had spied on them in the last history, after all. But how come this time, Kurusu Akira seemed not to even know her at all? It was almost as if–  
A wave of realization washed over him and he brought a hand to his head. The only explication was that history had changed... S had warned him. Akechi Goro's own actions dictated the future. He apparently did something that led to Okumura never meeting the gang of thieves. But what did he do? And more importantly, what would happen now, when history had changed in such a significant way?  
  
Uneasiness must have shown on his face, for Kurusu Akira looked at him with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Akechi?"  
  
The mention of his name jostled Akechi Goro awake from his thoughts. "Ah, it's nothing. I should go." he said a bit too quickly, a hand on the front door.   
  
Kurusu Akira's voice stopped him. "Just to be on the safe side... the giant Palace's creation..."  
  
The brown-haired teenager looked at him over his shoulder. The other continued. "You have nothing to do with it, right?"  
  
"Of course not." Akechi Goro replied without hesitation. It wasn't a lie, of course – for once, he had nothing to hide. "I am as clueless as you." And on those words, he nodded briefly at him and exited the coffee shop.  
  
He headed for the train station at a brisk pace, his new destination clear. He knew his lie might have crossed the line, but telling the truth would have brought him even more trouble. Still, in the end, he couldn't help feeling upset – the Phantom Thieves truly were in the dark, just like he was. There was still one lead he hadn't investigated yet, however. In this new present, Okumura apparently never became a Phantom Thief, and Akechi Goro had to admit he was extremely curious about her. What if she carried one of those hidden clues S had talked about?  
  
After quite a long trip, he finally found himself at the front entrance of Shujin Academy. Classes were over, yet the school remained open for the hundreds of students participating in various clubs. Trying to stay discreet, Akechi Goro approached the gates, only to freeze in place at the sound of cheerful screams. The teenager could have announced his arrival with a marching band and the result would have been the same, for a crowd of girls had spotted him right away and surrounded him, much to his annoyance.   
  
"It's Akecchi! What are you doing here at Shujin?" the boldest one asked in ecstasy.  
  
The young man opened his mouth to reply when common sense suddenly hit him – was it really a smart move to mention a girl's name in the presence of his fans? He would rather avoid turning the swooning into jealousy if he could help it. Then again, he needed to gather information about Okumura.  
  
"Well, I wanted to speak to Okumura Haru-san..." he began, bracing himself for the shock. And he was right to do so, for the cheerful, happy atmosphere suddenly turned to stormy weather. Every single one of the girls looked as though they had been personally betrayed. Akechi Goro was at a loss for words.  
  
"Akecchi, didn't you know...? Save for Monday, Okumura-senpai missed every single day of school this week." the first girl whispered, her voice low and almost threatening, as if to say _"So you should give up on meeting her!"_  
  
Fortunately, his quick thinking allowed Akechi Goro to bounce back at this opportunity. "I am aware of this." he lied with confidence. "I happen to be investigating her sudden disappearance."  
  
Relief washed over the group and their hostile expressions were gone as fast as they had appeared on their faces, leaving only bright smiles behind.  
  
"Oh, you should have said so sooner! We would be happy to help you, Akecchi!"  
  
"Being asked for help by the Detective Prince... am I dreaming?"  
  
"I don't know about that, but Akechi-kun sure is dreamy..."  
  
The corner of Akechi Goro's lips twitched. It was almost like they were having a competition on who could swoon over him the hardest. The Phantom Thieves' glares back in Leblanc were almost pleasant, by comparison.  
  
Smiling as brightly as he could without stepping into unnatural territory, he gently brought them back to their senses. "So, do you know something about her...?"  
  
One of the girls spoke up. "Actually, I'm in the same class as hers, and also the class rep. I found her notebook and I was planning to bring it back to her. You know, like any class rep would do." she said while looking at him expectantly. The hint couldn't have been any more obvious.  
  
"You are so reliable." Akechi Goro replied with enthusiasm, earning a squeal of joy in response. "Does that mean Okumura-san is actually at home? I thought she had disappeared."   
  
"We don't know why she doesn't attend school anymore. Maybe something came up." another girl muttered, barely interested.  
  
"Still, it is worth further investigation. Nobody should skip classes unless they have a very good reason." Akechi Goro said as he remembered how his day started, the irony of the situation almost mocking him. "By the way, may I take a look at the notebook? Maybe she wrote something inside that could give us a lead."  
  
The class rep seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if she wasn't sure she had the right to comply. Maroon eyes gazed at her, so soft, big and round, she was almost consumed by them. It took her a split second to make up her mind.  
  
"H-Here, Akechi-kun!" she squeaked as she handed him the notebook. It was small enough to fit in a pocket, its cover a beautiful shade of soft yellow, almost faded, and decorated with a flower pattern.  
  
As he thanked her, Akechi Goro skimmed through the notebook. It was completely blank, save for one page – the final one. One short paragraph was written in purple ink.  
  
_There is nothing more beautiful than a flower. I would like to live in a world where there are nothing but flowers going as far as the eye can see. A world whose access would be forbidden to anyone carrying an ounce of darkness in their heart. Sinners would be banished, giving way to the souls free of corruption. I know this world exists, for I have in my possession the grand keys that will open the gates to the earth venue. You are free to join this world but remember, try as they might, weeds will never become flowers and so, they must be pulled out. I hope you are not one of them._  
  
Akechi Goro read the strange note once, then twice. He understood every single word and yet, he couldn't grasp the meaning behind this ominous, almost _challenging_ message. The girls, who had read the note over his shoulder, seemed to share his confusion and after a brief silence, they all suddenly began to talk at once, apparently excited about this new source of gossip.  
  
"This message is so freaky! I always said Okumura-san must be quite the weirdo to spend all day gardening on the school's roof, but this is way beyond weirdo levels!"   
  
"She even called the roof a paradise that one time, remember? How sad can she get?"  
  
"Oooh, Akecchi! Is this some kind of secret? Okumura-senpai's secret?"  
  
"Well it isn't really a secret now that we found out about it, now is it?" Akechi Goro pointed out almost absent-mindedly. "Still, this could be some kind of clue. May I take a picture of this page, for future reference?" he then asked while taking his cell phone out.  
  
And after thanking the girls for their cooperation and extracting himself from their grasp, an exhausted Akechi Goro returned home. He felt like he had been awake for 72 hours straight.  
  
The first thing he did was charge his phone and, not taking the time to remove his blazer, he lay down on his bed, his head cluttered with thousands of thoughts. The urge to investigate Okumura's situation further was hard to repress, but was it really the right thing to do? Wasn't he just wasting his time? Yes, a tiny voice answered, telling him to use the Another Time Navi right away. No, another said, for Akechi Goro couldn't know for sure there wasn't anything to discover. As long as the possibility existed, something told him he should pursue this lead no matter how insignificant it was. This was one of the very first things he had been taught when he became a detective, after all.   
  
He reached for his phone, observing with care the picture of the strange message, and only now did he notice how the words "grand keys" and "earth venue" were written in a slightly brighter shade of purple than the rest of the text. The difference was so negligible Akechi Goro wondered if it was even worth noting. Still, he decided to keep that detail in mind, just in case.  
  
As he was about to update S on the situation, it happened.  
  
The messaging application automatically minimized as the Otherworld Navi icon started flickering furiously on the home screen. Akechi Goro's blood ran cold. He had seen this phenomenon happen many times before – each time the icon flickered to life, it meant a Palace was currently in the process of being formed. In that moment, someone was letting their emotions turn into something strong enough to twist reality. A Palace within a Palace... but who was the host? As long as they were not a Persona user, it could be absolutely anyone...  
  
_Not a Persona user...?_  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes widened as something clicked inside his mind. He had the feeling he knew exactly who the host was. The question, now, was no longer who, but how... how could he figure out a way to enter this Palace...


	8. Case 7 - IRRITUM

The pink, blue and orange hues of twilight were gradually giving way to a beautiful shade of navy as Tokyo's day life was ending. Little by little, each light at every window went off and the city grew quiet. There was one window whose light was still on, however – it was the window to Akechi Goro's bedroom. Tokyo was falling asleep, yet he couldn't have been more awake.   
  
"You had a long day. Shouldn't you go to bed? If you get some rest, I am sure you will manage better." S had sent while Akechi Goro was reading Okumura's message for the umpteenth time.  
  
"I am not tired." he had merely typed in return. The teenager hadn't turned down S' advice out of some childish stubbornness. He knew his brain, crammed with thousands of thoughts, wouldn't allow him to sleep. Still, S' thoughtfulness had been appreciated.  
  
The Palace that materialized a few hours ago was very possibly Okumura Haru's. The evidence was fragile, but it was there. As of now, she wasn't a Persona user. She was safe at home – the butler answering his phone call had confirmed it. He had also let it slip out that the "little lady" was feeling quite miserable, and this was yet another proof Akechi Goro needed. Still, the biggest enigma wasn't solved yet, and no matter how much he wracked his brain over it, the meaning of Okumura's message left him stumped. Nevertheless, his stubborn mind refused to let it go – one way or another, the note was significant, he knew it.  
  
A buzz from his phone distracted him. "Even so, do not strain yourself." S insisted.  
  
Akechi Goro felt a bit embarrassed by their concern. The number of people who had expressed something other than either shallow admiration or contempt for him could be counted on the fingers of one hand. This concept was very new to him, and he wasn't sure how to react.   
  
Before he could find the words to express what he felt, S had sent yet another message. "By the way, your friends must have seen through your lie by now. Will you be alright?"  
  
This time, he didn't hesitate. "I guess I will just use the ATN before they try and get me."  
  
"You sure are nonchalant about this, aren't you?"   
  
The teenager tensed. He didn't think of himself as nonchalant, but now that he thought about it, he had to admit S' assessment wasn't that far from the truth. The Another Time Navi spoiled him, and he wondered if they were somehow beginning to regret telling him about it in the first place.  
  
In the end, he didn't reply and redirected his attention to the task at hand. What did Okumura mean by that strange message? It sounded almost like a farewell note, and the thought made Akechi Goro uneasy. The scenery she described was very reminiscent of some kind of paradise and it sure didn't sound good. But there wasn't only a sense of foreboding captured in those words. There was challenge, too. It was almost as if she was provoking whoever read this note into daring to join her.  
  
The thought had barely crossed his mind that Akechi Goro suddenly jolted up. What if... what if this message was the key to her Palace? Accessing one required three pieces of information to input in the Otherworld Navi: full name of the host, form the Palace takes, and its location in the real world. Akechi Goro had already checked one box out of the three, and what if the two remaining requirements were hidden in this note? The more he thought about it, the more sense it made, and with unbounded excitement, he read the message again. A distant memory came to him as he was engrossed in the task and the teenager stiffened. It had always been his job to locate his targets' Palaces under Shidou's orders and this time was no different. History was repeating itself, but Akechi Goro found some comfort in knowing that this time, Okumura Haru wasn't a target for him to kill.  
  
Come to think of it, what was he even supposed to do once he squeezed the answers out of the note? Should he tell the Phantom Thieves? The inevitable consequences of his lie reminded him that no, he couldn't do that. Should he just go by himself then? After all, encountering Okumura's Shadow might provide valuable help – surely the Palace would have no secret for her. But what if the Shadow turned out aggressive? Was he supposed... to _reform_ her?  
  
While he had spent almost three years in the Palace, he had never considered the possibility that one could steal a host's heart instead of outright killing them. This was probably the most bitter pill he ever had to swallow when he found out, courtesy of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts – if he had known this beforehand, perhaps he wouldn't have chosen to walk down this cursed path. Then again, he couldn't say for sure.   
In any case, while he never reformed a host, he did have some knowledge about it. Morgana had explained the process to him in the previous history and the method was so tedious, it was no wonder he never figured it out by himself. If he wanted to reform Okumura, he would have to steal her treasure hidden somewhere inside her Palace while also determining the form it appeared as. How was he even supposed to do that?  
  
Akechi Goro shook his head and relaxed a little. He could worry about this later, when he would actually be inside her Palace. Something more important kept nagging at him – the words "grand keys" and "earth venue." They stood out, barely, and this was reason enough to focus on them – those were the clues Okumura left behind, he was sure of it. What did she mean by "keys"? The note made it clear it referred to the keys for a gate. But what if the word had been chosen in an intent to mislead? Could it refer to the keys of a piano, for example? That seemed unlikely. The second set of words was more straightforward. A venue was like a scene. It could also refer to the place where a court of law is gathered, but the word "earth" led him to believe this wasn't the case.  
  
Time passed as the sky outside gradated to pure black and with it grew Akechi Goro's frustration. It was short-lived however, for he was having more and more trouble resisting the slumber looming over him. Eventually, he gave in, his eyebrows furrowing as he dreamed senseless dreams.  
  
The morning sun greeted him and a very groggy Akechi Goro woke up in a bad mood. A quick glance at his alarm clock told him it was 9 in the morning. He was late for school but he didn't care, too busy brooding over last night's lack of results. He had believed he was smart enough to decipher the message, yet it had proven to be quite the challenge.  
  
Swallowing his pride, he resorted to asking S for help. "Are you awake? I'd like to ask you something." he sent, not bothering with the formalities. He knew S wouldn't mind.  
  
As always, S wasted no time in answering. "It is about the message, right? I had a look at it when you sent the picture yesterday evening, but I am sorry, I cannot figure out its meaning. I am not very good at reasoning."  
  
The teenager sighed. At least S didn't beat around the bush.  
  
"If you are stuck, don't you think now would be a good time to use the Another Time Navi? I think this would be your best bet, seeing how hard you are struggling right now. Going back in time would also erase your friend's Palace from existence and everything would be back to normal."  
  
Akechi Goro arched an eyebrow as he stared at his screen. Maybe he was just imagining it, but S' words felt quite pushy, insistent even. Even so, he stood his ground.  
  
"I understand, but what if Okumura's Shadow had the key that could help me undo the giant Palace? It would make sense for her to know how this world works."  
  
"I wonder about that."  
  
Akechi Goro sighed in weariness and figured this was one battle that wasn't worth fighting. A rumbling sound suddenly made its way into his ears and only now did he notice how hungry he was. Maybe thinking with a full stomach would produce better results, and so he headed for the tiny kitchen. Two lonely eggs caught his eye as he searched his fridge, and after grabbing the bottle of soy sauce, he tackled the task. While not particularly interested in cooking, he was still reasonably skilled at it, thanks to or because of years of solitude teaching him he couldn't rely on anyone but himself to live. He had been practically forced to master the basics, and cooking was possibly the most important skill of all. In the end, he settled for scrambled eggs cooked in soy sauce and some fruit for dessert.  
  
Having breakfast was supposed to take his mind off things, but his thoughts inexorably returned to Okumura's message and frustration hit him like a blow. But then, as he mechanically brought a mouthful of eggs to his lips, his eyes opened wide.  
  
_Scrambled...?_  
  
Akechi Goro dropped his chopsticks and practically flung himself into his bedroom. He reached for his phone and his sight stopped on the four words that were giving him so much trouble. It was quite common in detective novels to leave a clue in the open, yet alter it just a little so that it'd become a mystery to solve. Anagrams were no different – the answer was there, just under another form. Because the words were short, it wasn't that tedious to scramble them and find new ones, but something told Akechi Goro he couldn't be any more off the mark when he somehow turned "grand keys" into "angry desk." Was there something, anything that could clue him in?  
  
Just as he was about to try his luck again, a memory flashed in his mind, almost like a godsend.  
  
_"This message is so freaky! I always said Okumura-san must be quite the weirdo to spend all day gardening on the school's roof, but this is way beyond weirdo levels!"_  
  
_"She even called the roof a paradise that one time, remember? How sad can she get?"_  
  
Akechi Goro froze, suddenly hyper aware of his heart pounding in his chest. He could practically hear it beat faster and faster. He looked down on his notebook, filled with dozens of possible solutions to the anagram, and tried again.  
"Keys"... if he removed the e, he could get "sky", and the leftover letters would spell out "garden." As for "earth venue"... it made sense thematically, but he knew it had another meaning. Eventually, he managed to make the word "heaven" out of it, and he was left with "true."  
  
Sky garden. True heaven. It worked perfectly. As for the location, Shujin Academy's rooftop was the likeliest possibility, and one hour later, Akechi Goro was gone.  
  
It was lunchtime when he reached the high school and many students were taking a break by the front entrance, trying to make the most of the sunny weather while it lasted. He made his way easily into the building – being a famous detective truly had its perks, despite it all.   
  
"Ah, Akechi-kun! You're back!"  
  
Akechi Goro turned around to see a girl coming his way at full speed. She was the one who showed him Okumura's notebook the day before, and he greeted her with a smile.  
  
"Did you make some progress? Did the notebook help? Do you need something? Can I assist you?"   
  
"It helped considerably. Thank you." he answered, his words sincere, and the girl hastily hid her face in delighted embarrassment. "And yes, I would appreciate it if you could show me the way to the rooftop. I have a strong reason to believe Okumura-san left a clue there."  
  
She didn't need to be told twice and soon enough, she had led Akechi Goro to his destination. A blue door stood before him, and behind it was the sky garden. He opened his mouth to thank the girl again but she beat him to the punch.  
  
"Akechi-kun, can I assist you in your investigation? I've always wanted to see you at work!"  
  
"Ah, that's..." he began, caught off-guard. He had to think, and fast. "Ah! Lunch break is already over, isn't it? That's why this hallway is empty, right?"  
  
"Oh no, you're right! I'm late for class!" she gasped, and before he knew it, she had already spun around and her words faded away as she rushed toward the staircase. "See you later, Akechi-kun, and good luck!"  
  
The teenager sighed in relief, surprised yet glad at how easy it had been to dismiss her. He glanced around him and after making sure he was alone, he pressed the icon of the Otherworld Navi. The application maximized on the screen and he brought his phone to his lips.  
  
"Okumura Haru. Sky garden. Rooftop of Shujin Academy." he whispered.  
  
The world rippled around him but the hallway didn't so much as change. It didn't matter though – he knew it had worked. Bracing himself, Akechi Goro cautiously pushed the door open and then froze, staring in awe at the scenery before him.  
  
He wasn't sure he believed in its existence, but this Palace seemed to be exactly what Akechi Goro had always imagined heaven would look like. The place was bathed in sunlight so intense and pure it felt almost cleansing. A gentle breeze, carrying the smells of spring with it, caressed the teenager's face and he took a deep breath, intoxicated by the pleasant scent of lush green grass. Fields of flowers stretched out as far as the eye could see, only stopping as they hit the edge of the world, and the sky surrounding them was so blue and spotless it seemed almost unnatural. And finally, in the middle of this magnificent picture, stood a wide, ornate golden gate that practically demanded to be investigated.  
  
The moment he stepped through the door, his uniform dissolved into his royal getup and he approached the gate. Behind it, the garden continued, but it seemed this was as far as he could go, for the gate refused to yield. This is when he noticed nine words engraved on both sides of the bars – they read _Avaritia, Gula, Ira, Invidia, Irritum, Luxuria, Superbia, Acedia_ , and finally, _Cavum._ They were all familiar to him, but he couldn't remember where he had heard them before.  
  
"Oh, my first guest! Welcome to the sky garden!"  
  
The unexpected greeting startled Akechi Goro and he averted his gaze from the words to see who was undoubtedly Okumura Haru appearing behind the golden gate. Barring her toga that reminded him of Ancient Rome's distinctive garment, she didn't look particularly strange. She could have seemed quite normal in fact, that is, were it not for the golden eyes and the outlandish attitude. Her bright smile drooped to a straight line as she stared at him.  
  
"You are not long for this world, you know that?" she asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice, as if Akechi Goro was a complete idiot for not figuring out this fact by himself.  
  
"What?!" he cried out as he prepared himself for a fight. Would she attack right away?  
  
"Just kidding! Just kidding." she soothed, cheerful laughter escaping her lips. "You seemed so... uptight, I just wanted to lighten the mood a little. What brings you here?"  
  
Her ominous joke had made him uneasy, but Akechi Goro's composure returned just as fast as it had left him. She might have answers, and so he went straight to the point. "Um, I wanted to ask you if you knew something about a giant Palace. I figured you would, since you're..."  
  
He didn't finish his sentence. He wasn't sure calling the Shadow by her true nature was a good idea. It seemed he made the right choice – she had tensed, but recovered quickly when Akechi Goro had cut himself off.  
  
She brought a hand to her chin in reflection and he knew, in that moment, that she would be unwilling to cooperate. "Well, I might know something, yes... but I am not sure I would be fine with telling you. Or letting you in, for that matter."  
  
Just as he was about to inquire why, she had already answered. "I am the mother of all that is pure and beautiful. I can tell at a glance that you do not belong here. You wear all white, yet your soul is filled with ugly darkness."  
  
His heart leapt in his chest. He knew she was right, but it didn't lessen the blow. He was starting to regret his decision to enter this Palace – clearly, she wouldn't help him – and instinctively reached for his cell phone with the intent to use the Another Time Navi, only to grope at empty air – he had forgotten his belongings had vanished along with his uniform. It wasn't a problem, though. All he had to do was walk away and head for the door to the real world, but just as he turned around, a wall – no, a _dam_ – of flowers suddenly sprouted from the ground and blocked his path. Unwilling to give up, he summoned Robin Hood, but even his strongest spell didn't manage to make a dent in it.  
  
The Shadow seemed pleased with this scene and her smile returned, now wider. She continued as if nothing happened. "I will not let sinners taint this sacred place, and yes, you are a sinner. Probably the worst kind, too. Look, yours is even written here. The fifth one."  
  
Very slowly, Akechi Goro turned around and glared at her, his face distorted by justified anger. She just smirked in response and gestured toward the carved walls. Figuring he had no choice but to play along, he approached them. It seemed she was referring to the word "Irritum."  
  
A very faint memory made its way into his brain, so distant he thought he had forgotten it. He did learn about those words before in class, but it was so long ago he felt like it had happened in another lifetime. That's right. Irritum. The Latin word for "vanity."  
Was he vain, Akechi Goro wondered. Just when he was about to dismiss the idea, another memory from a much more recent past pierced his brain. A knot of muscle gripped his throat and he pressed his hands against the sides of his head in pain, both mental and physical.  
  
_"I am a great detective! I am a celebrity, and I am charismatic! So why does a bunch of nameless garbage like you... who can't even dream of competing with me... Why do you have the things I don't?! Compared to me, you are nothing but disgusting trash, worthless filth! You don't deserve any of the things you have, but I do! So why... why..."_  
  
Akechi Goro could practically hear the words echo in his head. They were so vivid he felt himself blush in embarrassment, mortified by his puerile behavior. Technically, it didn't happen yet, but it was one consolation that couldn't even begin to wash the shame away.  
  
"You have regrets, don't you."  
  
Breathing heavily, he redirected his attention to her.   
  
"Are you looking for... redemption?" she inquired, her voice now tiny.  
  
Her attitude could not have been more different from the mischievous girl of only a few minutes before. In that moment, she looked very much like the real Okumura.  
  
"... I suppose I am." he replied slowly. His breathing had now steadied and he looked straight into her eyes. They were softer.  
  
The Shadow stared back but didn't speak just yet. She looked like she was trying to determine whether he was being honest with her or not. Finally, she broke the silence. "Hey... What do you think happen when you die?"  
  
Confused at how abruptly she had changed the subject, he eventually answered, his voice marked by uncertainty. "You go to heaven or hell?"   
  
His real answer would probably have been "I don't know", but he figured his lie was what the Shadow wanted to hear. In the end, he was wrong. "No. When you die, you are reborn as yourself and relive the same life again, until you die the same death. Then, the circle repeats forever, like an endless loop."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyebrows shot up. He wasn't sure what to make of her explanation.  
  
"What I mean is, if you relive history again and again, wouldn't it be the perfect opportunity to fix the mistakes you made in your previous life? But in the end, it never happens, because no matter how hard you try, something stronger than you prevents you from changing your fate. If you are destined to die from sickness in the first history, this is the way you'll go for the next ones. Do you see what I mean?"  
  
The teenager stayed silent while he pondered her words. She could see he was intrigued.  
  
"Now that I look more closely, I can see a tiny ray of light in your heart. It is very faint, but it is there. Maybe there is hope for you after all."  
  
She seemed sincere. Akechi Goro didn't miss the opportunity. Now would be the perfect time to find her treasure and get this over with. "If you really think so, do you think you could open the gate and let me in?"  
  
"I can't. I don't have the key." she replied, and he swore he just saw her lip quiver.  
  
Realization began to dawn on him, along with a very foreign sensation of pity. It wasn't Akechi Goro who was locked out so much as Okumura Haru who was locked in. Knowing full well it would accomplish nothing, he commanded Robin Hood to breach the gate. As expected, it didn't budge.  
  
The Shadow had observed the scene with blank eyes. A cold silence enveloped them, and not even the comforting warmth of the sky garden could prevent the young man from shivering.  
  
"There will be times when you are powerless. It is hard to accept, but that's the way things are." she whispered. Akechi Goro kept quiet. "You should go."  
  
"What? Why–" he began in protest, but she interrupted him.  
  
"I don't have any of the answers you seek. I was just deceiving you."  
  
Her voice was emotionless, and a single drop of sweat trickled down Akechi Goro's spine. "See? This place isn't even a sky garden."  
  
The Shadow gave him a smile that didn't fool him. "It is more like a greenhouse."  
  
He parted his lips to reply but in the end, no sound managed to come out. Behind him, the wall of flowers disappeared, and he could see the exit door waiting to be opened. Just as he turned around to face her again, his eyebrows went up. She had vanished.  
  
Surprise left the teenager's mind, replaced by an equal amount of frustration and sorrow. In the end, this entire trip had turned out to be a complete waste of time – he should have listened to S and used the ATN sooner. On the other hand, despite its rocky start, this encounter had opened Akechi Goro's mind to compassion. Her pain felt real – very real, and a wave of guilt overwhelmed him as he remembered he was the very cause for her anguish. He had no idea what he did, but it was fact that this Palace was born only due to his actions, whatever they were.  
  
With a weary sigh, Akechi Goro returned to the real world and closed the door behind him. The hallway of the school was still deserted – classes were not over yet. He reached for his phone and finally pressed the Another Time Navi icon. Some weight lifted from his heavy heart for he knew that at least, once he would be back in the past, Okumura's despair would be erased.


	9. Case 8 - BULLY

"But Akechi-kun, you sure are getting more and more popular! Does that make you happy? Excited? Worried?"  
  
Akechi Goro thought for a few seconds before replying, absent-mindedly glancing at the audience as he formed an answer in his head. Fifty pairs of eyes stared back in wonder and he quickly averted his gaze. To those people, the teenager had transcended the border that separated the average person from the gifted, the small from the great. Akechi Goro was no longer human. He was the dream come true, the divinity to be worshipped, the work of art that was so spellbinding, one couldn't tear their sight away from it. He had wallowed in it in the past, in this pool of long-desired liquid fame, but as time went on, its sweet taste had turned into something sour, something bitter.   
  
"Well, I am very grateful, but I admit it does put some pressure on me." he eventually said, his voice gentle.  
  
"It probably does, doesn't it? But I am sure being famous has its perks, too! Your parents must be proud to have such a prodigy for son!"  
  
Akechi Goro felt something flip in his stomach. His eyes hardened, but any trace of the severity in them had already disappeared when he spoke. "This is why I feel a bit nervous. I do not want to disappoint them, or anybody else for that matter. I hope I'll meet everyone's expectations..."  
  
"But you already do! You are the Second Coming of the Detective Prince! The whole world has its eyes on you!"  
  
The teenager chuckled and instinctively grazed his cheek with a gloved finger. Yet, he didn't blush. "I think you are exaggerating a bit..."   
  
"Don't be so modest! Let's ask the audience what they truly think about you! Everyone, press the switch on your remote control if you believe Akechi-kun deserves his popularity!"  
  
After a deliberately long silence broken only by a few gasps of anticipation, the LED panel behind Akechi Goro finally flickered to life. Numbers spun on it, reminiscent of a slot machine, until they eventually ground to a halt. The blinking result was greeted by a roar of applause and cheering – it read "100.0%."  
  
The detective's eyes reflected two tiny images of the bright, orange number, and they widened almost imperceptibly. Embarrassment and pride mingled as he admitted defeat – "I told you so!" the host had gloated – and with a beaming smile, he looked straight at the crowd. "I genuinely didn't think everyone here would be supporting me. Thank you very much. I will keep doing my best."  
  
"You heard him!" the host practically yelled while the crowd welcomed Akechi Goro's declaration with overwhelming enthusiasm. Try as he might, the detective couldn't discern their faces anymore. They were little more than shadows, binding, constricting, but he had believed they could have provided him with the solace – no, the _salvation_ – he had desperately sought out. And for a while, they did... but now, those shadows bound to his body were just like a charge of nitroglycerin, dangerous and unpredictable. Nitroglycerin didn't care who it would kill upon setting off. One mere impact to end his life, and Akechi Goro's origins were possibly the most powerful trigger of all.   
  
"Now that this is settled, Akechi-kun, I've been told our audience would like to know how you manage to solve all those cases one after another so effortlessly. Care to share your secret?"  
  
Akechi Goro stared at the screen, his eyes blank. It wasn't just one TV, but dozens of screens reflecting his face in perfect synchronization, not unlike oppressive, inescapable mirror shards. No sound came from them – a wide shop window separated the TVs from the teenager, but he remembered every single thing that happened during this interview. The host had no way of knowing it of course, but his choice of words couldn't have been more spot on. The detective had a secret alright.  
The young man inside the TV gave Akechi Goro a bright smile, but they both knew it was fake. After what seemed like an eternity, he averted his gaze from the hypnotizing screen and walked away.   
  
Today was April 16th, 2016, only a couple of days after his interview. He had forgotten he had been wandering in Shibuya that afternoon but the Another Time Navi hadn't, and Akechi Goro was now making his way up a crowded shopping street, his destination unclear. Making sure not to bump into any passerby, he took his phone out and sent a message to S.  
  
"It looks like you were right about Okumura's Palace. I should have listened to you."  
  
It was easy to be honest with S. They really did know all about him, and so there was no point in hiding anything from them. Their anonymity helped too – he felt like S wasn't someone he needed to impress or win over. They didn't care about Akechi Goro, the perfect idol. He could be his true self and they wouldn't mind or judge, instead, they seemed to accept him for who he was. He also appreciated how S always answered his messages right away without ever leaving him hanging. Essentially, it was almost like having a friend in the pocket.  
  
_A friend, huh..._  
  
Despite himself, Akechi Goro smiled. But as if an evil spirit had decided to purge the small shot of serenity spreading through his veins, it turned out S didn't reply. Mere inertia carried him forward through the wide street for five, ten, fifteen minutes, but his phone stayed frustratingly silent. Almost against his will, the young man sent another message, trying not to sound too clingy.  
  
"Are you there?"  
  
There was no response. Akechi Goro breathed a sigh of disappointment. There had to be a reason for their silence, but seeing how they usually always answered right away, the teenager was certain S didn't reply not because they were busy, or something equally mundane, but because it was currently beyond their power. Perhaps they couldn't communicate while he was back in time somehow. The accuracy of his hypothesis was difficult to estimate, but he would content himself with it for now. He only wished S had told him about this beforehand, if he turned out to be right.  
  
It was a bit embarrassing to admit, but S' presence had become such a big part of his life he was reluctant to be deprived of it. Still, he was aware it was quite unreasonable of him to think that way – was it really wise to _get attached_ , for a lack of better terms, to someone he knew nothing about? After all, "mysterious" couldn't even begin to describe S. Their name, age, gender, everything... to those, Akechi Goro drew a blank. This was only one of the many reasons for him to be wary of them, but something he couldn't put his finger on prevented him from doing so. Despite the foolishness of the decision, he did trust S. He just hoped he would not come to regret it later on.  
  
Still, he couldn't shake off the three persistent words that had kept nagging at him since the day of their first encounter. _Who is S?_  
  
_"An ally."_ Akechi Goro remembered that much, but... wasn't there more to it? Surely S hadn't approached him out of mere goodwill. All he knew about them was their desire to see the world free from the Palace, but how did they even know about it anyway? How did they know about the Another Time Navi? And more importantly, how did they know every single thing about him, from his past to his current emotions? Would he even get those answers one day? S had promised him that yes, he would, and this is why despite the curiosity eating his mind away, he tried to remain patient. For how long – he wasn't sure.  
  
Even as he was putting his phone away, it vibrated in his hand and Akechi Goro's eyes lit up ever so slightly, only to dull just as fast when they recognized the name of the sender. It wasn't S.  
  
"Come to my office immediately."   
  
The command was nothing short of a whiplash, and the young man's body straightened up of its own volition. He had forgotten that on this day of April, work had come up. Real work, that is.  
  
With a sigh, he spun around. His gait was unnaturally swift, but it couldn't be helped – the memory of Shidou berating him for making him wait too long in the previous history was still vivid in his mind, and Akechi Goro winced at the prospect of enduring his father's wrath again. Fortunately, he was now prepared for it, and taking a shortcut was a sure way to avoid unnecessary trouble.  
Following the directions provided by his phone, he eventually left the crowded road to find himself in an unknown, barely more breathable street. As he checked the map application to determine how far he was from his destination, a clamor of voices distracted him.  
  
"What the hell, brat? What do you think you're doing, knocking me over? Look at the mess you did!"  
  
"What? You were the one who bumped into–"  
  
"You got my coffee all over me, you punk! Do you even have any idea how much this suit costs? You're going to pay for the cleaning bill, won't you?"  
  
The voices were loud enough to overpower the murmur of the crowd, and Akechi Goro was certain he recognized one of them. A sea of people blocked his vision, but he managed to catch a glimpse of familiar bleached hair peeking through the passersby. The teenager weaved his way through the human walls and, as he thought, Sakamoto Ryuji was there in front of a tattoo parlor, being yelled at by a mountain of a man sitting awkwardly on the ground. Said man looked like nothing else so much as a yakuza. The golden chain around his neck, the semi-transparent sunglasses, and the stained, but otherwise nice suit were evidence enough. A puny man was with him – probably his underling, Akechi Goro thought.  
  
The yakuza climbed to his feet a bit too effortlessly for someone who claimed to have been knocked over. It didn't take a genius to figure out what really happened. He was furious – or knew how to act like it. Flecks of spit flew from his lips as he spoke.  
  
"This coffee was boiling hot, you know that, punk? I probably got second-degree burns because of you! What's your name and address, kid, so that I can send you the bill for the medical costs? And don't forget the 840 yen for the drink! This isn't some instant coffee shit!"  
  
This attempt at scamming was so obvious and clumsy that Akechi Goro couldn't help but stare, lips slightly parted and eyes widening in disbelief. Distracted by the absurdity of the situation, the teenager didn't notice his phone vibrating in his pocket once, then twice. He was too busy wondering what to do, but it didn't take him long to make up his mind. The yakuza might be little more than a joke for now, but his colossal stature and his large, muscled fists cemented the thought in Akechi Goro's mind – that man knew how to use them. His sense of responsibility told him to step in before the situation turned ugly. No one else seemed willing to do so – people glanced, but didn't dare stop.  
  
Sakamoto was now angrier than usual, if this was possible. The older man was about two heads taller than him, but he was clearly unimpressed.  
  
"Are you done, you bastard?" he spat, clenching his fists as if ready to fight, and this is when the brown-haired boy knew he had to stop them.  
  
"Oh, I'm just getting started, you little shit!" the yakuza snapped back as he cracked his knuckles, his face now sporting quite the impressive shade of red. "Huh? What do you want?" he asked, turning toward Akechi Goro who had approached them in the meantime.  
  
The teenager's back was straight and his chin up as he glowered at the older man. He spoke with a calm, but also firm voice, making it clear he would not let himself be intimidated. "Excuse me, sir. You are harassing this person, and I strongly advise you to stop. Unless..."   
  
"Unless what, you brat?"  
  
As he was about to reply, the underling, who had been silently staring at him, suddenly let a small gasp escape his lips, and his eyes widened in what the teenager believed to be recognition. He then stood on tiptoe to whisper something into the giant's ear, but Akechi Goro heard every single word, and couldn't prevent himself from smirking in victory.  
  
"Um, sir, this kid works with the police... he's a detective... he's actually kind of famous..."   
  
The other's expression stayed hostile, but a new emotion had appeared on his face – frustration. He had the look of someone whose plans had been thwarted.  
  
"Huh, a detective? This brat? You sure?" he asked in annoyance, his fighting spirit fading away with each word, like a flame struggling against a cold, strong wind.  
  
His sight crept from his henchman to Akechi Goro, then to his henchman again. Figuring out persisting with his act would be more trouble than it was worth, he eventually yielded, not without shooting daggers at the brown-haired boy who didn't lower his eyes.  
  
"Looks like Prince Charming came to the rescue, huh, punk?" he gibed at Sakamoto who tensed up, and on those words, he grudgingly strode away, his underling practically forced to run behind him to even catch up.  
  
Akechi Goro observed them grow smaller and smaller as his lips curled into a defiant, self-satisfied smile. He finally spun around to face the blond boy, only to be greeted by cold, hard eyes. The sight confused him, and his smile vanished.   
  
"I didn't need your help." Sakamoto muttered between his teeth.  
  
"What...?" the other said, taken aback. He wasn't sure he had properly heard him.  
  
"I said, I never asked for your help." the blond boy repeated, his voice louder. "I could have handled that bastard by myself."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyebrows shot up. Was Sakamoto actually _resenting_ him for stepping in? Was that guy really that big of an idiot?  
  
He wanted to retort, but the other beat him to the punch. "I was about to give him a piece of my mind but you just had to stick your nose into this, didn't you? What, you thought I was gonna beat him up or something?"  
  
"No, it's just that... you looked like you were in trouble, so I figured you might need a hand." the young man lied.  
  
What Akechi Goro really thought was that he didn't believe Sakamoto would have been smart enough to deal with the man without resorting to violence. Of course, the words stayed there in his throat – barely.  
  
Sakamoto rolled his eyes at him in response, and the brown-haired boy could feel his patience slowly but surely draining away.  
  
"People have been shitting on me all my life, of course I don't need a hand." the hot-blooded teen stated. "And when I gotta deal with them, I never take the easy way out either."   
  
The young man stayed silent. He wasn't sure he understood the implication, but something told him he was about to, and as if he had read his mind, Sakamoto clarified, his words now full of spite. "It must be easy for you. You just say you're a detective and the whole world throws itself at your feet, huh?"  
  
"I never told them I was a detective!" Akechi Goro snapped back, his composure slipping away, if only for a moment.  
  
"They recognized you as one, it's the same thing! You're just like them. They abuse of their position of power to give people shit, but you're practically doing the same. Bet you stepped in just to flaunt your job."  
  
This is when he realized – Sakamoto was an idiot, but Akechi Goro was an even bigger one. He should never have bothered to step in, especially not for the sake of someone as birdbrained as the hot-blooded teenager. How did this absurd theory occur to him anyway?  
  
"Talk about a big leap of logic..." the young man eventually muttered, having more and more trouble hiding his annoyance.  
  
"What leap of logic? It's obvious you use your title as a free pass to get what you want. I saw how you acted all high and mighty when the other guy recognized you, as if you knew this was gonna happen." Sakamoto pointed out venomously.  
  
As their argument grew more and more intense, Akechi Goro's phone buzzed for the third time. Once again, he didn't notice, Sakamoto's unfair attitude monopolizing all his attention. Fine, maybe his accusation wasn't that off the mark – the teenager's status did provide him with many privileges he wouldn't have otherwise, but in this case, this status turned out to be the very thing that had saved the blond boy from a possible beat-up, or perhaps worse. So why did he act as though he had been personally attacked? Was his pride wounded, somehow?  
  
Sakamoto spoke again, and this is when Akechi Goro's frustration turned to full-blown fury. "Lemme guess, you thought I was incapable of dealing with that guy myself because I'm just some random punk, didn't you? Your parents pampered you into believing you were above people like me, huh? Guess this explains that snotty attitude of yours."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide as an urge to choke Sakamoto to death took over his mind. It required all his willpower to resist it.  
  
"You know nothing about me. Stop making a fool of yourself." he growled, his body now shaking with anger.  
  
"And you know nothing about me either! Admit it, you think I'm some pushover, don't you? You think I always have to rely on powerful people to get things done, don't you?" the other shot back, just as furious.  
  
Sakamoto wasn't just an idiot – he was downright delusional. The injustice of it all was the last straw. Akechi Goro's composure and self-control shattered, and the indignation he had tried so hard to repress managed to break free.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you, you idiot?!" he exploded, his facial features distorted by rage. "That guy was a yakuza! Anybody with an ounce of common sense would have walked away, but you were somehow stupid enough to provoke him even further! He could have beat you up so bad, you would have wished he had killed you instead! I did you a favor by stepping in!"  
  
The brown-haired boy's sudden outburst caught Sakamoto by surprise. Clearly, he hadn't expected the detective's polite behavior to change in such a dramatic way. In that moment, he looked way more menacing than any yakuza, and Sakamoto couldn't help but stare silently, both in astonishment and defiance.  
  
Trying to steady his breathing, Akechi Goro glared at him, outraged by his lack of gratitude. He had just wanted to help, so why the hell did he have to put up with Sakamoto's unjustified accusations and paranoia? He knew the blond teen had never liked him but at least, he had reasons to feel this way in the previous history. Yet, this time, his behavior was so infuriating, so unfair, the teenager genuinely wished he had let the yakuza have his way with him.  
  
Sakamoto looked at him with something very like scorn. The brown-haired boy's harsh words seemed to have pacified him just a little, however. His voice was now low, husky.   
  
"Yeah, yakuza are the worst... but not only them. All those people who happen to be in a position of power and abuse the shit out of it, while giving others hell because they know there won't be consequences... they all make me sick. Dammit, a girl fucking jumped off a roof because of one of them!"   
  
Akechi Goro's brain was cluttered with anger so overpowering it left room for nothing else, but a tiny hint of curiosity still managed to sneak its way into it. As he was about to ask him to elaborate, Sakamoto turned around and started to walk away, his gait stiff.  
  
"But now, I can actually get back at them... I can show them there are consequences." he said defiantly, glancing at Akechi Goro over his shoulder. "I'll show you I can take matters into my own hands. I won't let anyone get in my way, not some random yakuza, not some shitty teacher, not even you. I'll never respect someone who thinks they are superior just because they happen to be a detective." And on those words, he disappeared amidst the crowd, never looking back.  
  
It took a while for Akechi Goro to process what just happened. His face was slightly flushed, and his heartbeat faster than usual. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't comprehend why Sakamoto had reacted in such a disproportionate way. Had it been really wrong of him to step in and help the blond teenager? Should he have just gone on his way, without so much as glancing at the scene? Did he, perhaps, abuse of his position of power, as Sakamoto had not so subtly pointed out?  
  
The teenager wasn't sure what to think anymore. Even so, he was convinced he did the right thing – he couldn't have allowed a street fight to break out, and in a crowded area, no less. The blond boy was just being stupid, as usual.  
  
Akechi Goro's phone vibrated in his pocket, effectively rousing him from his thoughts, and he absent-mindedly took it out. His heart then skipped a beat.  
  
_Oh no... this can't be happening..._  
  
His turbulent encounter with Sakamoto could have never happened, for he had already forgotten all about it. His legs grew weak, and he had to throw a hand on the tattoo parlor window for support. Cold sweat escaped through every single pore of his skin, and his stomach convulsed. His phone stopped buzzing.  
  
He had four missed calls and one new voice message. From Shidou Masayoshi.  
  
The words rang inside his head – a deadly reminder.  
  
_"And finally, if you ignore my calls or don't show up when I ask you to, I will consider it a betrayal. But I am sure you are smart enough to never let this happen, aren't you...?"_  
  
_"There is no need to worry, Shidou-san... I will live up to your expectations."_  
  
Not taking the time to listen to the message – out of haste or fear, he didn't know – he got a move on, his swift walk turning into a jog, then into a sprint. He fought his way through the crowd, little more than a human bullet, shoving people aside and earning their stares of disapproval in return. He ran for a good five minutes, but a now familiar dizziness took over him and his chest constricted. The teenager could feel himself go... the hour had almost elapsed...  
  
Even as he saw the world beginning to change and the crowd glancing at him as though he were a madman, he yelped at the ATN icon in a desperate attempt to bargain. "No, not yet! Don't send me back yet! I have to... I have to...!"  
  
Of course, the Another Time Navi would have none of it. It was now bringing him back, but Akechi Goro wondered if he would be alive to witness the birth of the new history he had created for himself.


	10. Case 9 - SKIN

Fame, money, power, Shidou Masayoshi had it all, but it would never be enough. There would always be one more step to take, one more ladder to climb.  
  
He was an extraordinary man – it would be safe to say he was one of a kind. Charismatic, intelligent and ambitious, he was the definition of a born leader, with his share of followers, but detractors, as well. He was admired, envied, hated, feared. And it wasn't only his enemies that should fear him, for his own allies and accomplices were never safe from his whims either... or his wrath. The people he betrayed could only blame themselves when they felt the gun of the hitman pressing harder against their head. This was their retribution for believing they were untouchable, a reminder that Shidou was beyond compare. He was both the chess master and the strategist, cold, calculating, never above sacrificing one chess piece or two if it could bring him closer to victory. Soon, only one would be left – the king. But to him, this was more than enough. He had no need for an army. There would be only one man left standing on the chessboard, and that man would be Shidou.  
  
If Shidou was the king, then it was only natural to believe Akechi Goro was a knight. Knights were practically heroes after all, and they were always at the king's beck and call just like the teenager had been. But they were also ready to die for their king without a second thought and so, Akechi Goro couldn't actually be a knight. He was really just a pawn, left at the mercy of the ruling king. And of course, Shidou Masayoshi would show none.  
  
This is why Akechi Goro was surprised to find out that he was, in fact, alive. Some way or another, he had escaped his father's reprisal.  
  
Perhaps his past self had met with him while he was being sent back, no matter how unlikely that seemed. Perhaps the ATN had been merciful enough to send him to a present occurring only hours after his encounter with Sakamoto, meaning he could still find a way to slip through this deadly net. Even so, while both prospects were exciting, the teenager knew they sounded too good to be true. Something felt off, and a feeling of uneasiness slowly made its way into his brain when he registered, at last, the persistent ache nibbling at his head. Sure enough, his hand met with a bump at its top. How did it get there...?  
  
Perhaps this injury was the reason he felt so groggy. His eyes were too tired and he gave up trying to open them, choosing to rely on his other senses instead. He was apparently lying face downwards on a mattress that was so thin, he could feel something underneath digging at his chest. Cold air enveloped him and one graze of his finger – he wasn't wearing his gloves anymore, for some reason – told him his arm was covered in goosebumps. Yet, the skin felt warm. No, more than warm, it felt _painful_. He didn't linger on it so much, however, for he finally noticed he was actually bare-chested.  
  
_What the..._  
  
Akechi Goro's stomach tightened. This didn't sound good. Not good at all. He was almost afraid to uncover the source of his dread, but he knew he had no choice. Using all his might, he climbed to his knees and forced his eyes open as the soreness of his body somehow intensified.  
  
It didn't take him long to figure out why his skin felt so scorching and tingly.  
... For his entire upper body was covered in intricate tattoos, not unlike those of a yakuza. Almost every last inch of his torso, arms, and supposedly back, was covered in ink. If his body didn't sting so much, he might have thought it a joke.  
  
Akechi Goro wanted to scream, but the only sound that escaped his lips was a strangled whimper. For a moment, his throat refused to cooperate, but after struggling for what felt like hours, he eventually managed to regain control over his voice.  
  
"This isn't real... this is wrong... this is completely insane..." he couldn't help but mutter to himself, as though saying the words aloud instead of thinking them would undo the horrifying sight.  
  
Of course, there was no undoing. The situation was very real, and the teenager's heart was now pounding so fast he suddenly got an urge to throw up. He brought a hand to his mouth, unable to comprehend what was going on. His mind was inexorably going blank, but he knew he couldn't allow himself to get lost in the white haze threatening to swallow him whole. He gasped for air and with each gulp, Akechi Goro could feel his heartbeat slow down just a little. Gathering mental strength, he forced himself to look at his body again.  
  
The electric burns had practically disappeared under the ink. The skin was swollen and its color a disturbing shade of red, with a few scabs and blisters here and there. Akechi Goro felt like his body was on fire, as if every single one of his nerves was protesting in unison against the unwelcome symptoms. Suddenly, he felt nauseous again, but no bile would come out. The discovery had been a rude awakening – both figuratively and literally. Any trace of his drowsiness was now gone.  
  
The tattoos were hard enough to swallow, and that was a major understatement, but they were almost eclipsed from his mind as another harsh reality dawned fully on the teenager – he didn't recognize his surroundings. The room was quite big yet empty, with neither door nor windows. White neon lights filled the room with their harsh, cold rays. The floor wasn't worthy of being called as such, for it was little more than a layer of broken slabs, and it wouldn't be far-fetched to believe a stampede had rocked the area. The white walls reminded him of a solitary confinement room, and Akechi Goro swallowed hard. Struggling to get his bearings, he stood up and finally noticed his only hope for escape, the sight sending a shot of adrenaline through his veins. A tiny, barely visible trapdoor was there in the middle of the low ceiling, and while there was no ladder, he could easily jump and climb through it... that is, were it not for the fact it was locked.   
  
"Dammit!" he yelled as the circumstances of his situation were now taking a toll on him. He knocked hard on the trapdoor, both in frustration and desperation. "Is anyone there? Open the door!"  
  
There was no response. But just when he was about to slam his fist against the ceiling again, he heard slow, heavy footsteps resound above him. Breathing a sigh of relief, he took a step back to let who was undoubtedly his savior climb down the foldable ladder of the trapdoor, with a pile of clothes secured under his arm.  
  
"So you're finally up, kiddo. You were out cold for hours... I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up..."  
  
Something told Akechi Goro he might need to reevaluate his assessment. Perhaps it was the shady outfit. Perhaps it was the ominous grin. Perhaps it was the cheery voice that harshly clashed with the words being said. One thing was clear, however – that man was no savior. The teenager steeled himself for the worst to come.  
  
"Who are you? Why am I here? What the hell are those things on my bo–" he began, desperate for answers, but the other suddenly grabbed one of his arms, effectively cutting him off.  
  
"Damn, they turned out even better than expected. It was a challenge to work on those scars, but I think I did a pretty good job." he boasted while observing the complex design carefully, clearly pleased with himself.   
  
The teenager jerked his arm away. The astonishment written all over his face convinced the man to clarify.  
  
"Ah, yeah, I was told you would probably be confused. They ordered me to keep my mouth shut, but I guess I can at least give you the gist of it..." he sighed absent-mindedly. "Someone contacted me for this job. Your name, your address, your picture, they gave me everything. Told me I had free rein. You know, the check was big... real big... I probably made more money with you alone than all my jobs combined."  
  
What this man's demeanor suggested to Akechi Goro was chilling. He sounded as though he had merely described the weather.  
  
"By the way, sorry for the bump... you weren't exactly cooperative when I came to get you, so I had no choice..." he apologized, with the air of someone who wasn't sorry at all.  
  
Confusion left the teen's mind. Anger took its place, and he instinctively clenched his fists.  
  
"Who... ordered this...?" he growled, but he felt like he already knew.  
  
"No idea. The name on the check was foreign, but in my line of work, clients always use aliases. Never met them either. We just exchanged mails."  
  
He didn't need to say more. The implications and the circumstances spoke for themselves. This was Akechi Goro's punishment, the price to pay for his negligence. Shidou had probably figured that if his subordinate was so conveniently forgetful, then an indelible reminder would be the obvious solution. The teenager was still alive only because his powers were too precious to his father, that much was clear. If this incident had happened when his father was at the peak of his career, he knew he would be already gone.  
  
"No hard feelings, alright? Business is business." the shady man reasoned, but Akechi Goro didn't hear him. Another voice was resonating in his head, powerful, threatening.  
  
_"Do you understand what it means to defy me?!"_  
  
Akechi Goro did. He knew his father was capable of the worst. But what Shidou had just done... that was beyond him. Each glance at the mirror would cement the memory of his father in his mind. This was his message, a way to tell him that the pawn could never escape from the king. The young man felt as though cold and strong hands had wrapped around his throat, tightening their iron grip on it. He gritted his teeth, suddenly overwhelmed by a tidal wave of rage.  
  
"Oh, um, by the way, I'm counting on you to keep this between us, alright? The client assured me they wouldn't let you spill the beans, but you know..."  
  
The teenager didn't respond. He just stared at the ground, his eyes hidden behind his bangs. It was hard to tell what exactly was reflected in their depths. The humiliation was too severe. He had lost against his father, once again. Shidou... _Shidou..._  
  
_I'll kill you... I will kill you, you bastard..._  
  
Surprisingly enough, the hectic events happening around him since the day he escaped the engine room had managed to mellow out any feelings of hatred for his father. He had been simply too busy to remember his grudge, but it was now coming back in full force, overpowering, incapacitating him. The teenager thought his hate for Shidou had already reached its limits a long time ago, but they had managed to be pushed back even further away. The evidence was there, deep within his heart. It was acting like a deadly poison, depriving him of all his rationality.  
  
Perhaps Shidou was actually enjoying this. Perhaps he didn't care at all. Perhaps he had coldly ordered the job, only to forget all about it afterwards. The teenager would probably never know. His blood was now boiling, and his hatred must have shown on his face, for the man hastily shoved a pile of clothes into his hands, probably in an attempt to snap him out of it.  
  
"How long are you going to stand there? Get dressed already, and then get out, okay? I'm a very busy man." he said dryly while Akechi Goro looked down to see his own clothes folded into a ball. His white shirt, his blazer and his striped tie were all crumpled, and his gloves had been lazily shoved in the blazer pocket. His cell phone was there too, while the two silver jewels were still pinned to the shirt collar. Despite the circumstances, Akechi Goro felt relieved.  
  
After an agonizingly long silence, he finally put his clothes on and by the time the teenager realized what he was doing, the man had already grabbed his arm again, forcing him through the trapdoor and dragging him to the entrance. The level above ground looked like a regular tattoo parlor.  
  
"Well, thanks for your business, kid." the man jested with a grin before practically kicking the teen outside the shop. One split second later, the "Open" sign on the front door had been flipped over to "Closed."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't react. His brain had ceased to function. He was now little more than a mindless machine that had overheated due to the shock of the incident. He stared at his reflection in the shop window, his eyes blank. A bit of black ink was peeking out from above his collar. Mechanically, he straightened it up, and then glanced at his surroundings. He realized where he was right away – this is where he had met Sakamoto less than one hour ago, right in front of the tattoo parlor he had just exited. But he had a hunch that way more time had passed in reality... and sure enough, his phone confirmed it – the date showed April 24, 2016. What was he supposed to do now...?  
  
As he tried in vain to collect his thoughts, a worried voice rang next to him, close enough to overpower the chatter of the passersby. Akechi Goro directed his attention to it – two middle-aged women seemed to be engrossed in a serious conversation.  
  
"Oh, and did you hear? A teacher was found dead this morning... my daughter was one of his students. They said his eyes were wide open, yet completely blank... and he was frothing at the mouth... the spit was black..."   
  
"I heard, yes... he taught at Shujin, right? I can only imagine how the students and the other teachers must feel right now... wasn't that man the pride and joy of the school?"  
  
"He sure was. My daughter told me he was an incredible athlete after all... an olympic medalist even, who then became a PE teacher. I think his name was something like... Kamoshida."  
  
Akechi Goro took a moment to process what he just heard. For a while, he stood there, motionless and numb. Then, it clicked.  
  
_Kamoshida Suguru... he was the Phantom Thieves' first target..._  
  
Uneasiness shot through his brain, managing to make him momentarily forget about the ink carved in his skin, and he instinctively brought a hand to his chin in reflection. Something was wrong. According to the woman's description of his body, there was no doubt Kamoshida had been killed inside his Palace. But he had been reformed in the previous history... and unless Akechi Goro had killed him by his own hand while the ATN was sending him back, there was no way Kamoshida could have actually died. But he did... and the teenager knew it was extremely unlikely that he was the one behind this murder. Somebody else killed Kamoshida. And Akechi Goro was beginning to get an inkling as to who did him in...  
  
His brain was now cluttered with theories and reflections so overpowering he was convinced it would shut down. So absorbed had he been in his thoughts that Akechi Goro didn't notice his legs had carried him to a completely different street. A wall of TVs displayed in a shop window caught his eye – his reflection had smiled at him from inside those screens, technically six days ago from today. Two things were new, however. The silent TVs were covering Kamoshida's death, judging by the scrolling headlines, and Sakamoto Ryuji was there, peering at them. He didn't seem to notice the brown-haired boy, too engrossed in a phone call.  
  
"Yeah, I'm watching the TV report... he actually died... it really worked..."  
  
The young man's blood ran cold. He couldn't move anymore, as though some mysterious force was holding him in place.  
  
"Okay, we didn't listen to the cat... so what? You know we did the right thing, Ann! You know the asshole deserved it! Think of Shiho!"  
  
Sakamoto's face was grim and yet, Akechi Goro didn't fail to notice the hint of excitement glinting in his eyes. He could feel tiny drops of sweat starting to bead on his forehead.  
  
"C'mon, reforming him would have been like giving him a slap on the wrist. What's wrong with showing the world there are people like us who can fight back? Aren't you tired of being looked down by others? Aren't you sick of those people judging you just because they think they are better than you? You know Akira agrees with me."  
  
The blond boy's expression was now full of defiance and his lips eventually curled into a self-satisfied smile. Clearly, his argument had managed to convince Takamaki.  
  
"Glad to see that you finally get it." he said in victory, and after a few more exchanges, he hung up.  
  
This indirect confession had confirmed Akechi Goro's suspicions – in this new history, Kurusu Akira, Sakamoto Ryuji and Takamaki Ann had killed their first target. Something inside his stomach stirred, and the teenager was unsure of what to do. Should he confront Sakamoto? Should he walk away? Should he use the Another Time Navi and erase this wrong reality from existence?  
  
Figuring the third option was his best bet, he took his phone out but, as he was about to press the icon, Sakamoto's voice tore his sight away from the small screen.  
  
"Oh, it's you... the detective. Still trying to stick your nose into other people's business?"  
  
Akechi Goro's eyebrows furrowed as seeds of irritation began to wake up deep within his mind.  
  
"I am not sure I would call it sticking my nose when you shout your achievement from the rooftops..." he pointed out in spite, jerking his head toward the TVs as he spoke. "You did this, didn't you...?"  
  
Sakamoto's eyes didn't show any hint of surprise. Instead, he seemed pleased with how the situation was turning out.  
  
"I told you before, remember? That I could take matters into my own hands. Here's your proof." he said, lazily pointing at the TVs while faking a yawn. "I don't care if you know what I did. You'll be a nobody soon anyway. People won't need detectives anymore... not when we are here to take care of the shitheads you are supposed to stop."  
  
Akechi Goro opened his mouth to snap back but the other was faster.  
  
"And we even get to steal actual treasures... gotta admit, I was a bit tired of those assholes who rubbed it in my face that I had trouble making ends meet. Guess you never experienced this, huh?" he muttered while eyeing up the brown-haired boy's obviously tailor-made uniform. His sight stopped on the cell phone Akechi Goro was still holding in his hand.  
  
"Hey, that's a nice phone. Nicer than mine. It must have been expensive. Still, you gotta learn to stay humble, you know? I can help with that."  
  
Akechi Goro furrowed an eyebrow and took a step back, but it was way too late. In the blink of an eye, Sakamoto snatched the phone from his hand and spun around, sprinting away.  
His eyes widened in shock and, not taking the time to think, the teenager gave chase, cursing himself for his own negligence. How come this history seemed to worsen with each minute that passed?  
  
Years of fighting in the other world had considerably improved the teenager's athletic capabilities, but Sakamoto was still faster. He seemed to avoid bumping into the passersby effortlessly, almost as though they were not there at all. Akechi Goro followed at a run, unable to close the distance between them, and he grew more and more desperate.   
  
"Give it back! Give it back, you bastard!" he shouted, unwilling to accept the prospect of losing the ATN forever, but his command fell on deaf ears. The blond boy eventually took a right turn and the other trailed behind to find himself in a narrow alley.  
  
Without warning, a miracle happened. Sakamoto suddenly crumpled to the ground, grunting in pain. "Dammit... Kamoshida, you asshole..." he groaned while bringing a knee to his chest.  
  
The young man finally managed to catch up, panting hard. His sprint slowed to a halt and he glanced at the figure collapsed on the concrete. Choosing to ignore it, he reached out for his phone that had fallen on the ground as well, but Sakamoto leapt to his feet, wincing at the effort.  
  
"Dammit... dammit! Get lost already!" he spat in rage. He now looked almost like a rabid dog, and Akechi Goro looked at him with what could almost be described as pity.  
  
"What the hell happened to you... why did you become like this..." he couldn't help but whisper while the adrenaline within his body began to fade.  
  
But even as he spoke the words, he knew he already had the answer. He had known since the beginning, but he couldn't ignore it any longer. Akechi Goro's actions in the past had influenced the future... once again. His heated argument with Sakamoto was the reason he had turned out this way, he was sure of it. He had never liked him, and he knew the feeling was mutual. Sakamoto was the opposite of everything he believed in, and it was almost natural that they could never get along. But no matter how big of an idiot the hot-blooded teen was, Akechi Goro was aware that he would never steal or kill anybody. Meeting Sakamoto back then was a mistake. It should never have happened.  
  
Passersby had now gathered at the scene, keeping their distance from the two teenagers. Some of them just watched, others took their phone out to call for help – probably the police – in case a fight would break out. Meanwhile, Sakamoto seemed close to having a nervous breakdown. His hands were pressing so hard against his head it seemed as though he wanted to crush it. "Who the hell do you think you are?! Who are you to look down on me?!"  
  
"I'm not–" the other began with the intend to tame him, yet to no avail. Sakamoto couldn't be stopped anymore.  
  
"People like you always have it easy... you will never understand what it means to go through shit every single day..."  
  
Akechi Goro's heart tightened. Watching Sakamoto was painful. Not because of secondhand embarrassment, or something equally shallow... but because he felt like he was observing a mirror version of himself. A reflection full of hatred and resentment, angry at the wrong person, blinded by his emotions and unable to think rationally. There was one difference between Akechi Goro and Sakamoto Ryuji, however. The pressure of killing somebody had made Sakamoto snap. He had practically gone insane. The person that currently seemed more like a time bomb wasn't the Sakamoto he had known, and the brown-haired boy knew he was the one to blame for it.  
  
Sakamoto continued, his eyes now bloodshot. "You think I shouldn't have killed him, right?! You think I'm the worst kind of criminal, right?! But then, what about him? That guy gave hell to all of us, you know that?! Killing him was doing the world a favor! It made me a hero!"  
  
"No... it didn't." Akechi Goro replied calmly, his words free of contempt or judgement. "It only made you a murderer."   
  
The other seemed like he was about to choke. "Shut up already! It's not like you know what you're talking about!"

"I do."   
  
The words had been a mere whisper and yet, they had sounded powerful, like a gunshot. For the first time, Sakamoto stayed silent. He just stared at the detective, whose facial features were marked by melancholy. Somehow, this seemed to make him even more furious. Akechi Goro didn't notice, for he had bent down to retrieve his phone. He then straightened up again, only to freeze in place at the sight of the blond teenager shooting daggers at him.  
  
"Stop... fucking with me..." he growled, looking less and less human by the minute. His voice then faltered, almost as though he were afraid of something. "You have no idea what it means to take someone's life..."  
  
Akechi Goro took an involuntary step backward. Still, he refused to cower. "Stop trying to act so tough. Not many people can bear the guilt of killing someone. It's only natural that you would be scared."  
  
It appeared those words were exactly what Sakamoto didn't want to hear. The countdown had reached zero. The time bomb was about to go off. "Scared...? You think I'm scared...?" he began, taking deep breaths of rage. "I'm not... I'll show you..."  
  
And before Akechi Goro realized what he was doing, the other's hand had dove into his pocket. A knife came out from it, and the brown-haired boy's breath stopped in his throat.   
  
The blow came too fast, but the young man instinctively reacted, and the hand that didn't hold his cell phone moved on its own. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. He wasn't aware of what his body was doing anymore. It was almost as if someone had taken possession of it, and he was now a mere spectator. Then, he heard it. A sickening noise resounded in his ears, and Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide.  
  
The knife had slid easily into the flesh. It could have been melted butter and the result would have been the same. There had been absolutely no resistance, no clothes to slow down the blade, no bones to stop it. After an eternity that really lasted a matter of seconds, Sakamoto Ryuji collapsed.  
  
The teenager just stared, transfixed by what he just did. His body and mind were going numb. His heart was racing in his chest and yet, he barely noticed it. But then, a sudden noise shook the air and startled him awake – somebody screamed.  
  
Too late, he heard the sirens ring in the distance. They were coming closer and closer, but Akechi Goro was paralyzed. Before he could regain control over his limbs, he was already surrounded, and this is when he finally found the strength to speak.  
  
"I... I didn't want this..." he breathed, unable to prevent his voice from wavering.  
  
Of course, admitting it wouldn't earn him the mercy of the police. Akechi Goro couldn't think properly any longer. Common sense and rational thinking were no more. For a split second, he stood still, and then leapt toward the human wall. He managed to dart past it to find himself in the wide street again, and people stepped back in fear. A charge of adrenaline prickled his nerves in response to his successful escape, but he suddenly felt a fistful of his hair being grabbed roughly. Someone knocked him to the ground, hard, and Akechi Goro was now laying there sprawled on his stomach, stunned by the force of the impact. His phone had dropped from his hand and had slid on the sidewalk. He just stared at it, enthralled. The Another Time Navi icon was flickering furiously, as if to encourage him to press it...  
  
Of course... how could he have forgotten? His escape route was right there, mere inches away from him...  
He extended a trembling arm. One tap... just one, single tap...  
  
But a superior force had decided he couldn't get away so easily. Someone twisted his arm hard behind his back and Akechi Goro screamed in pain. His other arm quickly followed suit and a clicking noise rang as his wrists were being handcuffed. He was now completely restrained – his legs had been pinned to the ground as well.

"Let go... let go of me, you bastards..." he hissed, struggling like a desperate animal that knew its next stop would be the slaughterhouse.

His impertinence earned him a powerful blow to the head. He let out a weak grunt of pain, his consciousness drifting away by the second. The last thing he saw through half-lidded eyes was a hand reaching out for his phone, and Akechi Goro's vision finally faded to nothingness.


	11. Case 10 - LIAR

It was funny, how people could get used to the impossible.  
  
How a person would get used to living in the streets even though they spent their childhood in a mansion. How they would eventually accept they lost their family in a terrible accident. How they would learn to cope with losing a limb or worse. How they would grow accustomed to being a murderer, as though this occupation weren't any less mundane than working in an office.  
  
It seemed almost against nature that one could get used to something as twisted as the sensation of killing and yet, Akechi Goro was the proof it was very possible. He was aware letting murder become commonplace in his life was abnormal, but it wasn't like he enjoyed it. He didn't have the choice, and so he simply came to accept it as part of his routine. The whirlpool had sucked him in its deadly embrace, and while he could have resisted it, he had decided to let it overwhelm him instead – it would be worth it in the end, he had believed. But when he realized he might have been wrong all along, it was too late. The whirlpool had turned to quicksand, and he was in too deep. Struggling would only delay the inevitable – he knew there was no turning back. Perhaps he knew he was beyond saving, as well.  
  
Still, even if he was unaware of it, a tiny part of him had hoped. He had wanted someone to reach out a helping hand to him, and the hand did come. Too late, however. Each time he came to Leblanc, Kurusu Akira's presence managed to make him forget about the next lie he would have to tell, or the next target he would have to kill. Being by the black-haired boy's side was almost cleansing, in a way. This is why Akechi Goro had been so intrigued – the teenager serving him coffee and listening to him ramble was almost like a case to be solved. He held the key to happiness in his hands, the key that Akechi Goro had sought for many years. He was the person blessed with freedom, and the brown-haired boy could only stare at him, fascinated. The envy, the admiration, the awe had been drowned out long ago, however. They had been replaced by months of repressed jealousy that had left the young man bitter. Kurusu Akira was now nothing so much as an annoyance, a reminder that Akechi Goro had failed.  
  
Still, despite his resentment, he did acknowledge the black-haired boy's worth. He had met many people throughout his life, ranging from unremarkable to outright out of this world, but Kurusu Akira was on another level altogether. He was the only one that had managed to catch the detective's attention and made him realize that perhaps, life could have been different. He was the first and last person Akechi Goro had ever told about his mother. He was also the only target that didn't cower in his last moments, when the hitman was about to do his job.  
  
It was difficult to tell what Kurusu Akira was thinking in that very moment. He hadn't so much as flinched upon seeing the guard crumple to the floor like a rag doll. He hadn't tried to leave his chair and escape the room. Instead, he stared at his murderer with cold, defiant eyes, almost as if to challenge him to do his best. In any other circumstances, Akechi Goro would have congratulated the black-haired boy for his nerves of steel, but he wasn't thinking rationally anymore. The adrenaline was overpowering him, the knowledge that disposing of Kurusu Akira would remove the last barrier between Shidou Masayoshi and himself was almost exhilarating. There had been something else, however. The sensation of winning against the person he had appointed as his rival had intoxicated him. It was petty and childish, but he was past caring at that point. The sole witness to his puerile behavior, the last person to witness the real Akechi Goro, would be gone soon anyway.  
  
And now, he would finally show his true face. Everything that happened those past two and a half years had led to this moment. To the final obstacle. The final wall. The final door to Shidou Masayoshi.  
  
The hitman raised his weapon almost casually – proving he had done this many times before – and his grip tightened around the gun. His index finger found the trigger. His back was straight and his arm still – if he hesitated, it didn't show. Kurusu Akira refused to blink, and Akechi Goro shot.  
  
Or rather, he tried to. His finger refused to move.   
  
"What...?"  
  
This was all Akechi Goro could say. He tried to shoot again, but to no avail. His heart stopped for a split second, only to suddenly race in his chest. His back was now slick with sweat and the sight of Kurusu Akira's lips curling into a victorious grin sent a chill down his spine. No, he refused to let this happen. He was so close, he couldn't allow himself to fail now. All those years of hard work would go to waste otherwise, and there was no way he would accept that. Once again, he attempted to press the trigger, but it wasn't just his finger that didn't cooperate anymore – his whole body refused to respond. Something was holding him in place, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't move any longer. It was almost as though a superior force was preventing him from killing Kurusu Akira...  
  
"Wake up."  
  
A voice echoed from somewhere far away. It took his brain a moment to register the words, for it was too busy trying to process the turmoil he was currently experiencing. He believed he had merely imagined them, and redirected his attention to the black-haired boy, whose facial features were now unreadable again.  
  
"Wake up."  
  
The command was louder this time, and with a surprised jolt, the teenager frantically looked around, suddenly freed from the mysterious spell. It hadn't been Kurusu Akira that spoke. But he was the only other person in the room...  
  
"Wake up!"  
  
"... Huh?" Akechi Goro muttered.  
  
He closed his eyes, and opened them again. The first, new thing that greeted him was a massive headache, but his surroundings didn't change – the dark and small room of the police station, the heavy atmosphere, the table, the two chairs, everything was as he had just seen them. There were two differences, however. The corpse of the guard had vanished, and Kurusu Akira as well. Instead, Akechi Goro had taken his place, slumped on the chair that was previously occupied by the black-haired boy. Instinctively, he tried to straighten up, but a resistance prevented him from doing so. With a chill, he realized his wrists were handcuffed behind the back of his chair. A sharp-dressed man was watching him from the other side of the table, his eyes piercing and cold, and the teenager felt something stir in his stomach. His mind was struggling to understand what was going on. What was he doing here? Why was he restrained? Was this a dream?  
  
As if he had sensed his confusion, the man spoke, his voice slow and deep. "Sakamoto Ryuji is dead. He didn't make it to the hospital."  
  
Akechi Goro's blood turned to ice, and with this whiplash came flashes of memories that rushed to his brain. The sensation of the knife sliding in the flesh, the sickening noise it produced, the vision of Sakamoto's eyes widening in shock, watching his body collapse to the ground... a lump of lead replaced what used to be the teenager's heart. He wasn't dreaming and yet, what happened could only be described as a nightmare. Suddenly, he felt himself grow cold.  
  
"This sure is a new low, for the Detective Prince..." the man scoffed, towering over him. "In the end, you are really a little punk like all the others, huh? And to think you were inked all along, too..."  
  
The way he had stressed the word "inked" made Akechi Goro wince as the forgotten shame of the marks tainting his body was now crushing him again, and he quickly averted his gaze. He wasn't sure what to say in response.  
  
"Someone's coming to interrogate you. You be a good boy and wait here. Well, not like you have the choice..." he taunted with a humorless chuckle, but the teenager didn't feel so much like laughing.  
  
On those words, the man left Akechi Goro alone in the room while the heavy door groaned shut behind him. A long, weary sigh escaped the brown-haired boy's lips, and his shoulders slumped. If someone had told him the day before he would accidentally kill someone for a whole street to see and get a beating from the police in retaliation, then wake up handcuffed to a chair in an interrogation room, he would have scoffed in disbelief. There was a great deal he hadn't planned, but this whole chain of events was so _revolting_ , he still had trouble believing it really happened. Why the hell didn't he use the ATN as soon as possible? It would have spared him a lot of unnecessary trouble, and the young man clenched his teeth, embarrassed by his own negligence. He wouldn't mind so much if his phone was still in his possession, but...  
  
He listlessly glanced around, trying to distract himself. This room sure brought back memories. Not the good ones, that is. It felt like ages had passed since the day he had "killed" Kurusu Akira. Now that he thought about it, how did the black-haired boy survive anyway? After all, he _did_ crumple onto the table like a discarded puppet, leaving a massive splatter of blood on it...  
Well, since the Phantom Thieves were apparently aware Akechi Goro would betray them, he figured they preemptively prepared some kind of trick in order to fool him. He wracked his brain, but he couldn't think of anything that might explain how they proceeded. The teenager was reluctant to admit it, but they had truly outsmarted him in every way...  
Akechi Goro grunted in frustration and shook his head. Now was not the time to brood over his obliviousness. In any case, nothing here would be of any help, he thought as he swept his eyes across the room once again. How could he find a way out of this mess?  
  
His eyes stopped on the door. He had no idea how much time had passed, but he figured at least a good fifteen minutes had already elapsed since the man left him alone. The person interrogating him would probably come any moment now, and a single drop of sweat trickled down Akechi Goro's back as his heart started beating faster. It was almost like being a criminal strapped to the electric chair and awaiting their imminent death. The executioner would then enter the room, followed by an ominous buzz piercing the air and finally, the holy electricity would exact its divine retribution. But while he figured he might deserve it, Akechi Goro had no intention of meekly accepting this prospect.   
  
"Dammit! I don't have time for this..." he groaned, but there was no one to hear him.   
  
The sensation of the handcuffs digging hard in his wrists was getting increasingly less bearable as the minutes went by. He had to escape this room, and fast. Perhaps he could summon Loki and break out... but without his phone, what would the point be? What would he do afterwards? Hide? He would only get caught by the police again, and he would be lucky to make it out with only a blow to the head this time. Besides, summoning his Persona would be a sure way to give half the police station a heart attack, and he would rather avoid adding even more victims to his body count if he could help it. He wasn't even sure Loki could manage to break the handcuffs without chopping his arms off in the process anyway, and that was one risk the teenager wasn't brave enough to take, no matter how much the situation urged him to be.  
  
Come to think of it, would Loki even answer his call? He knew the giant Palace already existed as of September 13th, 2016, but would it already be in place in April? It wouldn't hurt to check, and since he was currently stuck here, he figured now was as good a time as any to make some progress in his investigation. He had wasted enough time as it is.  
  
He opened his mouth to summon his Persona, but stopped himself at the sight of a security camera fixed to the wall. No light came from the lens – it seemed to be out of service, possibly in order to hide any evidence of the potential police brutality that could happen in this room. Akechi Goro gulped, but he couldn't deny the realization was convenient.  
  
"... Loki." he whispered as quietly as possible, aware the room wasn't soundproof. The striped entity appeared immediately, hovering above the teenager with grace, and Akechi Goro's uniform seamlessly dissolved into his black suit. His vision was practically obstructed by the glass visor, but he didn't need it to understand the Palace was already in place by April 24th, 2016. This meant only Kurusu Akira, Sakamoto Ryuji, Takamaki Ann and Morgana were responsible for its creation... and since they started operating at the beginning of April, the time frame had narrowed to less than one month only. This was a huge leap of progress, and in spite of the circumstances, Akechi Goro couldn't help but feel genuinely excited. Finally, he was getting closer to the truth.  
  
Something bothered him, though. Who was the host of the giant Palace anyway? This was one crucial piece of information he was lacking. Who could have felt emotions strong enough to generate a dimension that faked reality? This Palace ought to be born from the mind of a powerful person, he figured. It would be easy to undo it by taking care of the host themselves, but then again, if Akechi Goro had no clue about their identity, perhaps it would be easier to prevent the creation of the Palace in the first place. Both options were hard to work with. Besides, how big was this Palace anyway? Did it extend to Tokyo only? To Japan? To the world? And what did the Phantom Thieves do that could have triggered its creation?   
  
His mind monopolized by dozens of questions and theories, he didn't notice how Loki seemed to observe him, waiting for his next command. But then, without warning, the door handle moved on its own with a rattle that sounded eerily loud in the silence. Akechi Goro jumped and hastily called Loki back in his heart, sighing in relief as his clothes quickly returned to normal. Behind the door could be no one but the interrogator – his executioner – and the young man tensed, only to gape at the sight of the person stepping through the frame. It wasn't an executioner at all.   
  
"Sae-san?!" Akechi Goro stammered in astonishment, but the woman glared at him, as if to tell the teen to keep quiet. The man that had woken him up followed behind her.  
  
"Make it quick, Niijima-san. You're bothering us here. Be thankful we didn't turn you down."   
  
"I have the director's permission to interrogate him!" she snapped back, outraged.  
  
"Do you now. To be honest, I think this interrogation is unnecessary, but who am I to go against the director's orders?" he replied dryly, but was compliant nonetheless. "I told the guard outside to be ready for anything that could happen, just in case." he added ominously before leaving the room again.  
  
Muttering something inaudible under her breath, Niijima Sae swiftly made her way to the chair and sat down, facing Akechi Goro with an unreadable expression. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room grew awkward. Clearly, she didn't intend to break the silence first, and so the teenager spoke up, his voice almost timid.  
  
"Um... Sae-san–"  
  
"That's Niijima-san to you!" she suddenly yelled, earning a jump from him in response. "We are currently not co-workers. You are the convict, and I am the prosecutor interrogating you."  
  
Her outburst had taken the teenager by surprise. It seemed it wasn't only Sakamoto that had changed in this history... then again, he couldn't blame her. He really was a convict, after all...  
  
"What has gotten into you? Broad daylight! Dozens of witnesses, and some of them recognized you! Do you realize that your life is practically over? Do you realize how big of an impact you will leave on your agency's reputation? On the police's?"  
  
The teenager furrowed his eyebrows. She had yelled at him more than once in the past, but unlike before, it now actually hurt a little. "It was an accident. I did not want this to happen."  
  
Akechi Goro swallowed the urge to add he couldn't care less about damaging the police's reputation, or his agency's for that matter. He was much more concerned about finding a way to get out of this mess. He did feel bad about Sakamoto, however, and a twinge of pain prickled his heart. The vision of the blond boy collapsing to the ground was something the teenager would take to the grave. Even so, a very small seed of comfort bloomed at the back of his mind as he knew using the ATN would undo his death. He had to retrieve his phone no matter what.  
  
Niijima Sae merely glowered at him in response. "Well I heard it was self-defense, but that doesn't change the fact that you did kill him! There is next to no chance that your case will win. You would be extremely lucky to avoid going to jail, but after this little _stunt_ , I do not think it will be possible to lessen your sentence by much, even if we plead self-defense..."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide. "Huh? You want to defend me in court? But you are a prosecutor, Sae-san..." he reasoned in incredulity. "I mean, Niijima-san..." he corrected himself at the sight of the woman glaring at him. There was something in those eyes that could turn even the most ruthless murderer's blood to icy water.  
  
The prosecutor stayed silent, biting her lip. Eventually, and without much conviction, she mumbled something about asking a lawyer friend for help. The young man appreciated her devotion despite knowing what he did, and a jolt of gratitude made its way to his brain. She sure was different from the woman Akechi Goro had met on that day of January 2016. He had previously forgotten about it, but calling her "Niijima-san" had jogged his memories, and he could now reenact their first meeting in his head.

Akechi Goro had been assigned to work with Niijima Sae as her partner – more like her assistant, he sometimes teased – under the director of the Prosecutors Office's orders. They were supposed to investigate the berserk incidents together, but Akechi Goro knew, just like the older man, that he had been partnered with Niijima Sae only because Shidou had asked him to. His father had figured being close to a prosecutor investigating the cases that were shaking Tokyo was a good way to spy on the police from the inside and more importantly, cover his tracks. Akechi Goro had complied without a second thought, of course, and this is how he came to meet Niijima Sae. Their first encounter had been quite shaky, and while it didn't happen that long ago, the teenager felt like years had passed since then.

 _"My name is Akechi Goro. I might be an insignificant high school student, but I have sometimes been called a detective. Pleased to meet you, Niijima-san."_ he had greeted with a respectful bow.  
  
The prosecutor hadn't bowed back. She had just looked him up and down, as though she was gauging his worth to get a proper greeting in return. In the end, it seemed he had failed to earn her esteem. _"I can't believe I'll have to babysit a kid from now on, prodigy or not..."_ she had sighed in frustrated resignation.  
  
Akechi Goro had taken the insult in stride, but deep down, he didn't think of her in a much better light. She was merely somebody to fool, after all. _"I'll try not to get in your way too much, Niijima-san."_ he had simply said, forcing a smile on his lips.  
  
The tension connecting this unlikely, mismatched pair had eventually turned to a professional bond of trust. Niijima Sae had underestimated Akechi Goro's reasoning capabilities and came to appreciate his helpful insight and assistance. And while his initial assessment of her never really changed – she was still someone to fool and get advantage of – the teenager had to admit he got used to her, and even found himself enjoying her company at times. Back then, his desire to surpass Shidou had been stronger than any interest in getting closer to her, but now, things were drastically different. This is why disappointing her was a prospect he would rather avoid.  
  
"I still can't believe you did that." she suddenly chided, interrupting his line of thought. "What in the world were you thinking? Do you even realize what you just did?"  
  
"I already told you, it was an acci–"  
  
"Do you think this excuse will be enough to help your case in court?! Involuntary manslaughter is still murder!"  
  
Her heavy breathing was the only sound that pierced the otherwise silent room. Suddenly, she stood up. "And where did those tattoos come from anyway?! The doctor that examined your body said they seemed new, when did you get those?" she cried out, slamming her hands hard on the table. Despite himself, Akechi Goro recoiled on his chair, at a loss for words.   
  
As if to save him from further embarrassment, the door suddenly opened again. A guard entered the room with a wooden box in his hands and lazily put it on the table. "Here, Niijima-san... his belongings, like you asked. Some change, a key, and his cell phone."  
  
At those words, Akechi Goro looked up.  
  
"Thank you. I'll take a look at them later." she said without smiling, and the guard nodded as he left the room. With an annoyed jerk of the head, she sat down again.  
  
The teenager's heart began to race. In this box was his way out of this waking nightmare, but the resistance on his wrists reminded him that he couldn't simply extend an arm and press the ATN icon. Before he had time to grow desperate, an idea suddenly came to him and Akechi Goro couldn't help but shudder. He had no clue whether it would work or not, but with a bit of luck, maybe... just maybe...  
In any case, this was one hell of a gamble his brain had managed to come up with. He couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen if his plan were to fail, and without warning, he felt something flip in his stomach.  
  
Niijima Sae sighed in weariness, and Akechi Goro took a deep breath, steeling himself as he carefully chose his words.  
  
"I sincerely appreciate that you are willing to help me despite what I did. But..." he began, deliberately cutting himself off in an attempt to catch all her attention.  
  
She gave him a curious look that encouraged him to keep going. "But I don't think I have the right to accept your help. It doesn't make sense to defend the guilty in court."  
  
She opened her mouth to reply, but he was faster. "And I am not talking about the accidental murder. I am talking about... all the other crimes I committed."  
  
Niijima Sae took a moment to answer. It looked almost as though she wasn't sure she had properly heard him. "Your... other crimes?"  
  
"Working as a detective was just a cover. I am actually... a professional hitman." he explained, trying hard to ignore his heart pounding in his chest. A thin layer of sweat had enveloped his entire body while he spoke.  
  
"What... did you say...?"   
  
Clearly, she hadn't expected this confession, and she straightened up, as if to put more distance between the teenager and herself. Akechi Goro could practically hear her own heart beating faster and faster.  
  
"I would understand if you went and get the guard outside, but... could you let me finish, first?" he requested with feigned desperation. He couldn't allow her to leave the room yet.  
  
After a while, she eventually nodded in wariness, and with newfound energy, Akechi Goro spoke.   
  
"I work for Shidou Masayoshi." he whispered, earning a gasp in response. "He hired me to help him rise to power by disposing of his rivals."  
  
Niijima Sae seemed frozen in place. The shock was huge, that much was obvious, and the teenager knew there was no turning back. "I know this is going to sound unbelievable, but there is something I can do... that makes people go berserk. To gain influence, my boss put my power at the disposal of his allies so that their targets could... conveniently disappear. I would make them go berserk, resulting in them causing major chaos in Tokyo, and I would then arrest them as a detective. The target would be disposed of, and my boss would reap the rewards."  
  
Akechi Goro stopped his explanation, peering at the prosecutor. Her eyebrows had furrowed at his words. "Did you say... berserk? Does that mean..."  
  
"Forgive me, Sae-san." the young man said while his lips curled into a sad sort of smile. "All those incidents that gave you so much trouble... I was really the one behind all of them. I'm sorry for deceiving you the whole time..."   
  
His apology was sincere. His body managed to relax a little in spite of the circumstances. He knew the series of incidents he had perpetrated had put a great strain on Niijima Sae's nerves, even if it was too far back in the past for her to be aware of it yet. This is why he apologized for the crimes he already committed at that point, but also for those he technically didn't commit yet, the crimes that had made the prosecutor's life a living hell. She seemed so stunned by his confession that she didn't yell at him for forgetting to call her by her surname.  
  
"And sometimes, when making a target go berserk isn't enough, I have to... dispose of them in a more direct way." he continued, his eyes never averting from hers. His hands were shaking ever so slightly behind his back, and he was thankful she couldn't see them.  
  
A long silence filled the room. Finally, the woman broke it, and her question was marked by a mix of caution and suspicion. "Are you behind Kamoshida Suguru's death as well...?"   
  
"... No, I'm not." he answered truthfully.  
  
She stayed silent for a while, scanning his eyes for any trace of dishonesty in their depths. "You are... not lying, are you? When you say you are a professional murderer..." she inquired almost desperately, as if she wanted him to assure her this was all just a joke.  
  
"I'm not." he repeated. "Everything I told you is the truth."  
  
"I am not sure I can believe you without proof. Do you have some...?" she stubbornly shot back, and this was the chance Akechi Goro had hoped for.  
  
"Actually, I do. The plans, the names of the targets, the additional notes for each assassination, the secret to my power... all the information you need is on my cell phone. It is in the application called... ATN."  
  
"ATN?" Niijima Sae repeated as if to make sure she properly heard. She reached out for the wooden box and cautiously examined the phone.   
  
"That's right. It stands for... Akechi's Termination Notes." he blurted out without thinking.  
  
Akechi Goro swallowed hard. He knew he was an above average actor, but it was still nothing short of a miracle that he had managed to maintain a straight face as he spoke. This was probably the _stupidest_ lie he had ever told...  
  
Fortunately, Niijima Sae didn't seem to notice his discomfort. She did raise an eyebrow, however. "Akechi's... Termination Notes?"  
  
The teenager stayed silent. He felt that one wrong word could ruin all his efforts, and he would never forgive himself for messing up when he had come so far. The prosecutor peered at him, obviously trying to figure out whether he was mocking her or not. Akechi Goro stared back with what he hoped was sincerity.  
  
It felt like it took an eternity, but she finally averted her gaze from him to look down at the bright screen, and his heart leapt in his chest. Her index finger slowly, almost painstakingly approached the icon. She gave it a quick tap, and her eyes then widened in what the young man believed to be confusion.   
  
"The application opened, but... Another Time Navi? This isn't what you–" she began as she lifted puzzled eyes toward him, only to interrupt herself at the sight of a mischievous smile brightening the teenager's face. The smile of someone who knew they had won.  
  
"Sorry, Sae-san." Akechi Goro said with a grin as the now familiar – long-awaited – pins and needles prickled his nerves. "That was a lie."  
  
Niijima Sae didn't react immediately, and by the time she figured out the teenager was merely making fun of her, it was too late to berate him. Akechi Goro was gone, and with him the existence of this history that should never have been.


	12. Case 11 - THUNDERSTORM

The last thing Akechi Goro saw as the ATN started sending him back was Niijima Sae's eyes growing wide with surprise, then narrowing in what was likely anger. At this, he couldn't prevent himself from smiling a sly smile – the lie had been _naughty_ , and the woman definitely hadn't deserved this cheeky treatment, but it was a small price to pay for erasing this horrifying history. He had no idea where he was now headed, but it couldn't be worse than this, and the teenager let out a long sigh of relief in response to his successful escape.  
  
His celebration was short-lived, however. Akechi Goro thought he had grown used to it, but the dizziness overwhelming him due to the trip seemed stronger than usual. Way stronger, in fact, for the vertigo left him so nauseous, he didn't realize the world had stopped spinning. His head refused to follow suit – he could practically see stars. It took him a while to recover and, trying his best to resist a sudden urge to throw up, he didn't immediately notice something on his left shoulder shaking him gently – a hand.  
  
"What's going on, Akechi-kun? Are you alright?" a worried voice asked him, and Akechi Goro jumped at the sight of Niijima Sae sitting beside him, clearly concerned. Her presence had been so unexpected he completely forgot about his nausea.  
  
"S-Sae-san?! What are you doing he–" he began in disbelief, only to cut himself off. He knew his question would make no sense, and the puzzled look she gave him only cemented the thought in his mind.  
  
"You look very pale. And you're sweating bullets too... do you have a fever?" she wondered as she reached out a hand toward his forehead, only to grope at empty air – he had instinctively pulled away from her.  
  
Akechi Goro chuckled in nervousness and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Sae-san. I just... felt a little dizzy, that's all."   
  
This was the truth and yet, he was aware his words didn't sound convincing in the slightest. Niijima Sae appeared to think the same, but decided not to press the issue.  
  
"If you say so..." she muttered while she brought a glass of water to her lips, finally averting her gaze from him. The teenager followed her example.  
  
Even so, he couldn't help but cast a glance at her every now and then, as though he weren't sure she was really there. His surprise was well-justified – for a moment, he had believed the prosecutor had actually traveled back in time with him, but he knew that was impossible. While S had frustratingly omitted to tell him anybody could press the ATN icon and he would still be sent back, they _did_ tell him only he could use the application after all. A sudden jolt of irritation struck him as he remembered his dread eating away at him, terrified at the possibility that the Another Time Navi wouldn't work if he wasn't the one to touch its icon. He made a mental note to ask S for anything they might have forgotten to tell him about the application the next time they would exchange messages.  
  
Having now completely recovered, he finally took his first good look at his surroundings. He was sitting, or more accurately, slumped on a high chair, and he straightened up right away in a manner intended as casual. In front of him was a small plate of half-eaten sushi, and more of them slowly made their way around the room on a conveyor belt. The place was noisy and crowded, especially with salarymen reaching out greedily for the plates of food and then wolfing them down in one go. Niijima Sae was barely different, judging by the number of plates piling up next to her.  
  
"You're not eating?" she asked him absent-mindedly, eyeing the conveyor belt not unlike a lioness about to go for the kill.  
  
"Ah, yes, I am." he hastily answered, reluctantly gobbling up the little food on his plate. He wasn't hungry at all, but he knew it would be rude not to finish his meal.  
  
He wasn't sure of today's date, but he did remember going to this specific sushi restaurant with Niijima Sae more than once. She sure seemed to like this place, Akechi Goro thought as he listlessly stared at the dozens of plates on the conveyor belt with a pitiful look on his face. It was quite obvious the cooks had stopped caring long ago – the sushi were shapeless, the slices of fish clumsily cut, their sizes inconsistent, and the taste was as bland as the food unappealing to the eye. Despite that, the prosecutor clearly enjoyed it, for reasons Akechi Goro couldn't even begin to grasp.  
  
Niijima Sae spoke up again, drawing the young man's attention to her.  
  
"By the way, will you be okay carrying all this stuff home? How did you even manage to bring them all here?" she inquired while gesturing toward Akechi Goro's feet.  
  
Confused, he followed her gaze to find himself staring at a pile – a small mountain, in fact – of colorful bags and boxes wrapped in cheerful paper of all kinds. The floor around him had practically vanished under them, and he took a curious look at their contents. His curiosity then vanished as fast as it had taken over him and he swallowed hard – in those bags were enough boxes of chocolate to feed an entire family for months, but his astonishment didn't end there. There were dozens of other surprises waiting for him, such as a teddy bear that was, according to the note attached to it, apparently handmade. A beautiful and likely expensive fountain pen was neatly stored in a transparent box, and there was even a huge bouquet of flowers wrapped in clear paper amidst the pile. Only now did he notice his silver attaché-case concealed beneath the extravagant bags.  
  
The sight of the teenager growing more and more confused seemed to amuse the prosecutor, for she let out a quiet chuckle.  
  
"This sure is a successful Valentine's Day for you, isn't it? And to think those came only from the girls at your school... I bet your other fans have left quite the big pile of presents at your front door. Making chocolate... this sure is something Makoto would never do." she muttered, now gazing into space.  
  
"Yes, I have a hard time imagining your sister doing something like that..." he absent-mindedly agreed, his head cluttered with thoughts. It appeared today was February 14th, 2016, and the realization opened something inside his mind, letting a memory emerge from its depths. He had gone to school that morning, only to get practically assaulted with presents by his fans, but his scheduled meeting with Niijima Sae at lunchtime had helped him endure it all. What did he do after that again...?  
  
An inquisitive stare burned into him and only now did the teenager realize he had slipped up.  
  
"That's strange, Akechi-kun... how did you know I was talking about my sister? It is as though you have already met her before, but I think this is the first time I have ever mentioned her to you." she pointed out, wariness written all over her face.  
  
"Ah, um, that's..." he stammered clumsily, desperately looking for an acceptable reason to explain his unexpected knowledge. Fortunately, he quickly came up with an idea. "I heard some girls in my class mention how a girl named Niijima Makoto was the favorite for the position of Shujin Academy's student council president next April... and since "Niijima" isn't that common of a surname, I guess I just put two and two together..."  
  
For a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, the prosecutor peered at him, and Akechi Goro made sure to appear as innocent as possible. In the end, it seemed he had managed to salvage the situation, for her features softened ever so slightly. "You know, Akechi-kun, your detective instinct really amazes me sometimes."  
  
"My... detective instinct?" he repeated blankly, only to perk up and seize the opportunity she had offered him. "Ah, yes, that's right... and this is why I had a hard time imagining her doing something like making chocolate. I pictured her as the very serious type, you know?"  
  
Niijima Sae's lips curled into a very small smile, but the teenager could detect a hint of sadness behind it.  
  
"She sure is the serious type. She spends all her time studying, so much that she doesn't have any friends. This might be my fault, actually... perhaps I have been too hard on her lately." she mumbled to herself.  
  
Akechi Goro figured this was not a conversation to be pursued, and he silently reached for the water pitcher. The woman rambled on, a faraway look in her eyes, almost as if she wasn't aware of the teenager's presence anymore. "To be honest, things are rather hectic at the moment... I am buried in work, and I have neglected Makoto a lot as a result..."  
  
The young man took a tiny sip of water, unsure whether he should reply or not. A foreign feeling he couldn't put his finger on washed over him. For a moment, Niijima Sae had sounded like a mother...  
Eventually, he made up his mind. The beginning of dark circles under her eyes, which he hadn't noticed before, convinced him to speak.  
  
"... You look tired. Maybe you should go home and rest?"  
  
At those words, an amused smile appeared on her face, the kind reserved for someone who just said something silly. "Do you really think I can afford to rest? If I don't work, I can't produce results. If I can't produce results, I fail to meet the expectations. And if I fail to meet the expectations..."  
  
She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning behind it was clear.  
  
"Besides, how can I rest when incidents about people going berserk are reported practically every week? I am starting to wonder if we will ever get to the bottom of this..." she sighed in weariness. For a split second, Akechi Goro tensed.   
  
"Of course we will, Sae-san." he assured her, making sure the words didn't sound fake. She didn't answer.  
  
He forced himself to repress the sigh threatening to escape his lips. Going back in time meant erasing everything that happened afterwards, and so Niijima Sae never heard his confession in the interrogation room. His heart tightened a little at the realization – it had felt welcome to share the secret he had concealed for so long, and it was almost a shame it technically never happened. He had been barely aware of it back then, but laying bare the truth of his crimes had left him genuinely relieved, not unlike a sinner finding solace in admitting their mistakes at the confessional. This is when Akechi Goro pledged – he would never, ever turn people to shells again. At least making someone go berserk, while it could cause disastrous collateral damage, didn't always guarantee their death. Or anyone else's, for that matter...   
  
"Anyway, I would rather be buried in work than be in your shoes." she teased, earning a confused look in response. "What are you going to do with all those boxes and bags? You would need a truck to carry them all."  
  
The teenager's face fell a little at the already forgotten realization. "Um, I guess I won't attend classes this afternoon and take them home instead. I am sure I will be able to manage by myself."  
  
"Are you going to miss classes again? Isn't it the fifth time already this month?" she chided, in a manner very like a mother scolding her son. Akechi Goro winced, but she would have none of it. "Don't skip school so much. You might get a free pass because of your job, but the consequences will catch up to you sooner or later. I know your grades are good, but how long will it last? What if you failed the university entrance exams because you neglected your studies?"  
  
Akechi Goro fidgeted nervously on his chair, letting out a chuckle that wasn't any less awkward. "... I'll be more careful from now on."  
  
For a moment, none of them spoke. In an attempt to distract himself, the teenager took a plate of sushi from the conveyor belt. After dipping one in soy sauce, he took a bite, and instantly regretted his decision. Was that fish even fresh? The taste sure seemed to suggest it wasn't...  
  
"Akechi-kun? What's this on your neck?" the woman suddenly asked, prompting Akechi Goro to drop his chopsticks and hastily yank his collar up as a wave of realization hit him head on. Even though being tattooed against his will didn't happen yet, S did tell him his current body would travel back in time with him, no matter how paradoxical this could be. Suddenly, he felt seeds of gloom growing inside him. In what state will his body be when all of this is over? Assuming it will ever end one day...  
  
"Just a bruise, Sae-san." he slowly said in a firm tone of voice, making his lie less likely to be disputed. "Don't worry about it."  
  
She opened her mouth to contest anyway, but stopped herself, merely shrugging off instead. For this, Akechi Goro was grateful, and he couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Hm? What is it, Akechi-kun?" she wondered, curious about the sudden joy brightening his face.  
  
He didn't answer right away. He had several reasons for feeling at peace – he was happy she spared him the embarrassment of explaining what exactly was under his collar. He was happy to have successfully escaped the nightmare that, from his perspective, happened less than one hour ago. He was happy that Sakamoto's death had been undone, he was happy to have erased any trace of his forgetfulness that had earned him his father's wrath, he was happy he never got caught by the police, and finally, he had appreciated confessing his crimes to Niijima Sae and getting them off his chest. Not even the reminder of the marks tainting his body could dull his newfound serenity.   
  
"... The sushi didn't taste as bad as usual today." he said with a smile as he stood up. Of course, he knew he couldn't share any of his real reasons, and this is why he had lied, to the woman who didn't deserve to be lied to.  
  
She looked like she was trying very hard to get angry at him for giving her such a childish reply, but the hint of amusement showing on her face betrayed her. "You really are a kid."  
  
His smile merely widened in response.  
  
"I should really bring those bags home. I'll leave the money on the counter, alright?" he told her while mentally calculating the price he had to pay for his plates, and then reached into his pocket for change. His cell phone was there, too. "I promise I'll go back to school afterwards."  
  
"Alright. Don't forget your umbrella before leaving, it looks like the bad storm they warned about on the weather report finally hit." she advised, gesturing toward the entrance of the restaurant behind her. Sure enough, Akechi Goro was greeted by the sight of thousands of droplets dripping off the giant, misty window. It wasn't a rain so much as a downpour, and it knocked so hard on the glass, he was surprised that the chatter inside the restaurant had managed to drown out the incessant sound of the water pounding against the hard surface.   
  
"This sure is a bad storm..." he muttered while hanging as many bag handles as possible on his forearms. It almost looked like he was wearing big, bulky bracelets, but he didn't mind much – at least his hands were free to carry the remaining huge boxes, and Niijima Sae completed the pile by putting his attaché-case on top of it.  
  
"Thanks, Sae-san." he said in gratitude as he faced the exit. The structure was worryingly unstable, and the teenager couldn't see where he was going without twisting his neck around it, but as long as he was careful, he figured he would be fine.  
  
"How about going to another restaurant next time?" he couldn't help but ask.  
  
"What's wrong with this one?"  
  
She didn't seem excited by the prospect.  
  
"Nothing at all." he hastily muttered as a resigned smile showed on his lips.  
  
In response, she focused her attention on the conveyor belt again. She appeared to be in deep concentration, possibly wondering if taking one more plate would be reasonable. "I'm going back to work after this. I'm sure your fans at the station will be disappointed to find out you didn't come today... Make sure to drop by this week. I do not want your presents to clutter my office for days."  
  
At this, the corner of Akechi Goro's smile twitched and, without a word, he headed for the front door. A tall and wide umbrella stand was there by the entrance, crammed with dozens of them, and he nervously reached out for his own as his busy hand shakily supported the weight of the boxes. Some way or another, he managed to pull the door open, only to be greeted by a strong and cold draft. With a sigh, he stepped outside.  
  
It didn't take him long to get his bearings – this part of town was very familiar to him, for his home was only twenty minutes away from the sushi restaurant. Even so, the prospect of walking under a storm wasn't exactly appealing, but he still got a move on nonetheless, making sure not to bump into the rare passersby that made their way through the street. The downpour was now nothing else so much as a waterfall – a bolt of lightning lacerated the sky, followed soon after by a roar of thunder ringing in the distance. The young man shrugged it off and, without knowing why, he found himself thinking about Kurusu Akira.  
  
It had been a while since he last saw him. If he wasn't mistaken, the black-haired boy had come to Tokyo around April of this year, and started his activities as a Phantom Thief right away. Come to think of it, how did he even get his powers anyway? Akechi Goro had shown no sign of it back then, of course, but discovering Kurusu Akira could summon multiple Personas had left a very strong impression on him. When he found out about this shared ability between them, the teenager had felt something wash over him, something he still couldn't put his finger on after all this time. Was it... confusion? Annoyance? Relief? After all, if Kurusu Akira had the same power as Akechi Goro, wouldn't that make the latter no longer special? But on the other hand, wouldn't that mean he was no longer alone, now that somebody else shared his power?  
  
He wasn't sure what to think or feel anymore. Who was Kurusu Akira to Akechi Goro anyway? Was he an enemy? An acquaintance? A rival? An ally?... A friend?   
  
_No, of course I don't consider him a frie–_  
  
The teenager's pace slowed down just a little. He felt a bit light-headed all of a sudden. He knew, in that moment, that he was lying to himself again. His mind tried its hardest to deny it, but his heart couldn't be fooled any longer – it knew what Akechi Goro really wanted. The prospect of being Kurusu Akira's friend sounded... cleansing, in a way. It sounded almost surreal as well. Could he really become his friend, after everything he did? Or perhaps, he thought as his heart leapt in his chest, did the other already consider him a friend, no matter how foolish the decision was?   
  
A sudden impact jolted him awake from his daydreaming, leaving him stunned for a few seconds. The pile of boxes in his arms, as well as his umbrella, had dropped onto the practically flooded sidewalk. He just stared, feeling angrier by the minute as his entire body, left at the mercy of the storm, was now dripping wet. The rain was so strong, he could have jumped into a swimming pool and the result would have been the same. Something had apparently crashed into him – a young boy wearing a raincoat, accompanied by who was likely his mother trailing behind, a big umbrella held tight in her hand. She wore a distressed expression on her face.  
  
"I'm so sorry, are you alright?" she immediately asked as she began picking the boxes up, already spoiled in the rain. "Apologize right away!" she commanded her son, who lowered his eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry..." he muttered in embarrassment. His apology seemed sincere, and it managed to wash practically all traces of Akechi Goro's annoyance away.  
  
"My son never pays attention to his surroundings... I always tell him to stop running off, but I might as well talk to a brick wall." she complained as she stood up, earning a look of reproach from the little boy in return. "Here, your umbrella. And, about those boxes..." she began, her voice marked by hesitation.  
  
"Don't worry about it." he muttered with as much dignity as possible while he took the umbrella back, unwilling to let his perfect facade slip. He then retrieved his attaché-case that was laying in a big puddle, hanging it on his wrist so as to keep one hand free. Even though the time frame between dropping his umbrella and retrieving it hadn't been long, it still had been enough to let the cold rain penetrate into his skin, and a shiver ran down his entire being. Suddenly, he let out one, two, three sneezes, and the woman looked at him with what could only be described as pity. She then gave her son an accusatory glare.  
  
"Um..." the young boy began sheepishly in response. "In this anime I watched the other day, they said you should always give a present to someone when you apologize to them. So... I want you to have this."  
  
He eagerly reached for something inside his backpack. His hand came back out with what appeared to be a tiny cupcake, safely protected by clear wrapping paper. The sight was confusing.  
  
Clearly, the woman shared Akechi Goro's surprise. "You want to give him a pastry? Do you want to weird that poor boy out?"   
  
"But Mom, that's what they said to do on TV!" he retorted, shoving the cupcake into the teenager's free hand.  
  
Forcing his body to stop shivering so much, he flashed a practiced smile as he thanked the boy. Without thinking, he took a closer look at the present. It was elaborate, its icing quite intricate and covered with star-shaped sprinkles. He stuck his umbrella under his arm and gently unwrapped it to take a tiny bite. It was way too sweet.  
Still, he forced himself to finish it – the little boy was looking at him expectantly.  
  
"It was delicious. Thank you." he merely said, more out of politeness than sincerity, earning a beaming smile in response.  
  
Just like her son, the woman had apparently failed to detect his lie. "Oh my, what a polite boy. Be grateful to your parents for raising you so well."  
  
At this, Akechi Goro felt his heart flip.  
  
"Again, I am very sorry for your belongings..." she murmured, and then trailed off as she closed a firm hand over her son's, still torn between embarrassment and anger.  
  
The teenager didn't bother replying – he didn't care about the ruined presents at all. He just stood there rooted to the spot, watching this family grow smaller and smaller as they walked away. It took him a while to realize that a pang of envy, of all things, was piercing his heart like a white-hot blade. The woman appeared to be quite strict, but it was obvious she cared about her son. The little boy seemed well-groomed and happy, clearly enjoying a normal life. If his own mother was still there, could Akechi Goro have enjoyed a similar way of life? He figured that yes, he could have, and something inside him stung, almost as though poison was spreading through his veins.  
  
The Another Time Navi didn't allow gloom to settle inside his mind, however – the hour had now elapsed. He squeezed his eyes shut, both eager and anxious to find out where he would be sent this time. When he sensed that the uncomfortable sensation of traveling in time had ceased, he opened his eyes again.  
  
The first thing that greeted Akechi Goro was seven pairs of eyes staring at him. All of them reflected various levels of surprise in their depths, and it took him a few seconds to realize those eyes belonged to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. The schoolbag next to Kurusu Akira was shaking suspiciously, as if there was an animal inside, but he chose to pay it no mind. He was way more concerned about the obvious attention on him.  
  
"Why are you–" the young man began in confusion, only to unwillingly interrupt himself mid-sentence as his eyes opened wide. A split second later, he was writhing in pain.  
  
Saying his mouth, throat, and stomach burned would be an understatement. More than burning, something was actually _scalding_ the insides of his body – he could have drunk white-hot lava and the result wouldn't have been too different. Every last inch of his skin was drenched in sweat, and he truly believed his body had been practically set ablaze from the inside, imagining sickening, searing blisters covering the delicate inner membranes. He felt like a fireball had taken up residence in his mouth and yet, it was going almost numb, so much that for a moment, he wondered if his taste buds had been permanently burned off. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop himself from shaking, his body convulsing so much he feared his legs might give out any moment now.  
  
Near the edge of the table surrounded by the Phantom Thieves was a small, boat-shaped plate of takoyaki. 


	13. Case 12 - TOMORROW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya, guys. It's been a while since I last left a note before a chapter. The last time I did was when I published chapter 6, Crows, more than one and a half months ago. And now, with today's chapter, the story has reached its halfway point. I'm having a bit of trouble believing it actually... I know this is very cliche, but I really feel like I published the prologue only last week. A lot has happened since then, but there are still many things to come! I hope you'll look forward to them.  
> Once again, I wanted to thank every single one of you for reading my story. Whether you comment, whether you leave kudos, whether you take the time to read even silently, thank you! It makes me genuinely happy to share this story with you and see you guys seem to enjoy yourselves, and I sincerely hope the story will remain enjoyable for you all until the very end.  
> On a final but important note, I'm sorry to say I'm gonna have to drop my "one chapter a week, usually on Sundays" schedule pretty soon. Life is getting busier and busier as the year progresses and I'm afraid that starting next week or the one after, I will have no choice but to publish one chapter every two weeks. Don't worry, I will bring this up again when the time comes. Again, I'm very sorry about that. Today's chapter is longer than usual as a way to compensate a bit.

Some people might disagree, but calling stardom a double-edged sword wasn't unreasonable.   
  
It was rewarding, but the drawbacks that came with it might not be worth it. It was an effective way to boost one's self-worth, only to crush it hard when it stabbed in the back. It wasn't picky with its targets, and even a talentless person could become the next sensation if fame had decided to make them its guinea pig. Some called it luck, but it was really misfortune that guided new celebrities to what they believed was happiness. Of course, they usually never realized this, for they were too blinded by their newfound, effervescent lives that concealed a treacherous beast behind the pleasant scenes.  
  
Really, stardom was a peculiar thing, especially when the undeserving managed to rise to the top. It was strange, almost disturbingly so, how people could suddenly start worshipping somebody for very little reason, and then turn on them just as quickly for even less reason. This is why it was crucial to remain perfect at all times – being flawless meant being beyond reproach, and being beyond reproach meant being loved, or so Akechi Goro believed. He actually believed so much, his entire lifestyle was now revolving around perfection. Graceful gait, likeable attitude, practiced beaming smile, tailor-made clothes, attractive personality, effortlessly good-looking, charismatic, soft-spoken – this was Akechi Goro, the ideal young man in a demanding society, a manufactured entity raised by fame and held tight in its warm embrace. The teenager had felt secure and safe in those open arms. It didn't last long.  
  
Even so, this was happiness, he was sure of it. He would stop at nothing to be noticed and acknowledged, not even betraying his true self if this is what it took. The mask he made a point to wear at all times felt heavy and painful on his face, but it was an insignificant price to pay if it meant being granted access to the spotlight. Besides, even if he wanted to remove it, he couldn't – years of wearing the mask had caused its edges to dissolve into his skin. What used to be his fake self became one with Akechi Goro. It was real.  
  
The response his presence usually stirred around suggested that betraying himself had been the right choice to make. Men, women, teenagers, adults, there were very few people in this world that hadn't fallen for Akechi Goro. The taste of recognition and acceptance was intoxicating and he had come to cherish the precious flavor, very well aware it could prickle his hands and escape overnight. Fame was heartless and fickle after all, ready to bite at the first sign of weakness, and this is why the teenager swore never to be seen doing something that could be considered imperfect, such as looking disheveled or exhausted. For a free spirit, this sounded insane, but for a jailed one, that was a necessity.   
  
Still, only the strongest minds could maintain a perfect image without gradually succumbing to the pressure. Many weak-willed celebrities who grew weary of living a lie ultimately dropped their facade. Those people wanted to be admired, but they didn't want it _enough,_ and eventually, the world forgot about them. Akechi Goro refused to accept this fate. He would never allow himself to become a nameless, insignificant shadow, and this is why letting go of perfection was simply inconceivable. It had been his only ally throughout a life of misfortune, and it was understandable that he was reluctant to be deprived of it. Because if there was one thing Akechi Goro wasn't at that moment, it was perfect.  
  
He was barely aware of what was going on around him anymore – all he cared about was extinguishing the fire, _now_. To the Phantom Thieves who, unlike many others, didn't exactly hold him dear, the sight of the detective choking to death on a spicy takoyaki, a shaky hand covering his mouth in a futile attempt to preserve what little dignity he had left, was surely something to behold. Even so, they had the decency not to laugh.  
  
For a while, Akechi Goro couldn't move anymore, as though he were being mysteriously held in place by some sort of magic spell. Then, it broke all of a sudden and he spun around without so much as a word, rushing toward the nearest bathroom like his life depended on it, nearly tripping on the way.   
  
A long, awkward silence fell on the Phantom Thieves in response to his sudden departure. Nobody seemed to know what to say – or what was appropriate to say. Eventually, Ann was the one who broke the stillness around them. "Huh, that's weird... For some reason, I had the feeling he would pretend nothing happened."  
  
Ryuji looked at her for a moment with a thoughtful frown on his face. "Now that you mention it, I kinda thought that too, yeah. But damn, I'm glad I didn't try that takoyaki. That looked brutal." he mumbled at last, unsure whether he should laugh or feel sorry for the detective whose reaction had been more severe than he had expected.  
  
Futaba, on the other hand, was clearly less willing to be so sympathetic. "That's what he gets for stealing our food."  
  
"It is not like any of us would have wanted to end up like him." Yusuke reasoned patiently. "You could say he took the hit for us, in a way."  
  
The redhead shot him a somewhat disgusted look, but Haru seemed to share his sentiment. "He looked like he was really in pain... Maybe someone should go check up on him?" she suggested with her soft, gentle voice.  
  
This exchange continued for a little while but of course, Akechi Goro heard none of it, too busy vigorously splashing his face with cold water. Drinking some from the faucet was extremely tempting, but he refrained from caving in – the last time he did so in this exact same bathroom had taught him that was the best way to turn the blaze scorching his insides into a raging volcano, and with a resigned groan, he turned off the water. His breathing heavy and irregular, he wiped some droplets away from his eyes with the back of his hand. The teenager then gripped the sides of the sink hard, as though doing so might cool him off faster. Needless to say, it didn't help much, and splashing his face had provided little relief. He figured he had no choice but to wait for the sensation to pass and, in a naive attempt to forget about it, he stared at his reflection frowning at him from the mirror above the sink.  
  
The sight was so pitiful – and unusual for him – he scarcely recognized himself. His face was flushed and the sweat formerly beading on it had been replaced by drops of water trickling down his cheeks and dripping into the sink. Saying his hair was a mess couldn't even begin to pass for an accurate description – he was disheveled like he had never been in the seventeen years of his life. Some strands were sticking to his forehead and the sides of his face in a mixture of water and lingering sweat. This was truly a disgraceful sight, but he found some comfort in knowing that at least, there was no one in the bathroom to witness it. The only sound breaking the silence was coming from the teenager himself, who was still panting hard.  
  
Eventually, time managed to soothe the scald, if only slightly. It gradually became bearable enough for Akechi Goro to be brought to his senses and his breathing steadied. He tore off perhaps more paper towels from the dispenser than necessary and proceeded to dry his face, not forgetting to put his gloves back on afterwards. Now that the crisis had finally settled down, something other than urgency took over his brain – exasperation.  
  
"Seriously, what the hell... Why did I have to be sent _here_ , of all places..." he muttered to himself while taking his phone out. The Another Time Navi icon was blinking faster than usual, almost as if it was laughing at him...  
  
Without warning, something snapped inside the teenager's mind and, discarding any notion of common sense or self-control, he wrapped both hands hard around his phone in a manner reminiscent a bit too much of strangulation.   
  
"Dammit, you stupid thing!" he spat childishly, his voice that of someone whose pride had been wounded by some silly prank.  
  
Akechi Goro's breathing grew harsh again, this time in anger. Even so, it seemed he had learned something new about the ATN yet again – no matter how ridiculous it sounded, it looked like he had been right to believe the application was _sentient..._  
  
The teenager blinked several times, surprised at his own credulity. Perhaps it was unfair to think so, what with the existence of the other world, the Personas, and the power to travel in time, but there was no way he could take this absurd possibility as the truth. It would be almost laughable if it wasn't so disturbing. Really, the teenager had been stupid to even consider the idea.  
... Even so, a chill ran down his spine, and Akechi Goro couldn't help but swallow hard, his annoyance quickly forgotten in favor of discomfort. The new emotion managed to drown out any lingering traces of his ordeal however and, choosing to put his unease aside for now, he slowly slid his phone back into his pocket. After a short pause, he finally exited the bathroom. No sooner had he left it than someone greeted him.  
  
"Hey, Akechi. Are you alright?" Kurusu Akira simply said, leaning away from the wall he had been resting against only seconds before.  
  
The teenager froze for a moment, confused at the sight. He understood right away something was wrong.  
  
_What the hell is he doing here...? He wasn't there last time..._  
  
Kurusu Akira's piercing gaze urged the young man to answer and he pasted a pleasant smile on his face. "O-Of course I'm alright. I like spicy food."  
  
Something between a grin and a frown appeared on the black-haired boy's features. Clearly, he had seen through Akechi Goro's poor excuse for a lie. "... Still, good to see you're okay. That looked painful."  
  
The teenager did his very best to prevent his smile from turning into a grimace. But then, as if to spare him the trouble of finding an appropriate answer, somebody interrupted their conversation.  
  
"Hey look, it's the Detective Prince. More like Detective Wince!" a tall, clearly muscular student chortled as he approached them, looking Akechi Goro up and down. A girl was on his arm and giggled in much the same way. It was difficult to tell whether her laugh was genuine or not – the pun hadn't been exactly subtle.   
  
Akechi Goro gave him a confused look, not used to being openly laughed at – it stopped happening the day he became a detective – but he quickly forced his friendly smile back on his lips. He then opened his mouth to calmly ask what had earned him this new title, but Kurusu Akira spoke up first.   
  
"What do you want?" he asked scathingly.   
  
"Chill out, Kurusu. I just wanted to tell him I was looking forward to his speech tomorrow." the student barked, and then turned to address Akechi Goro with a smirk spreading on his face. "You're going to apologize to the Phantom Thieves in front of the whole school, right?"  
  
_What?_  
  
The young man wasn't sure he had properly heard, and tilted his head almost imperceptibly in bewilderment. "Why would I do that...?"  
  
He could have summoned Loki right there with pretty much the same result, for the tense atmosphere suddenly turned to one of shock. It seemed his confusion had passed on to everyone around him – including Kurusu Akira, who looked nothing short of stunned.   
  
Much to the teenager's surprise, it was the black-haired boy who at last broke the silence. "Um, you announced the other day on TV you were off the Phantom Thieves' case. You said you learned from the flaming and admitted to being wrong all along, and that's why you agreed to prepare a speech of apology... remember?"  
  
"The flaming? What are you talking about?" Akechi Goro repeated blankly, earning a long silence in return, but even as he asked, a sudden memory surged from somewhere deep within his brain. A memory of the time when the public went crazy over the Phantom Thieves while turning on the detective opposing them, his popularity inexorably spiraling into nothingness... He had completely forgotten about it.  
  
While it had stung to become the laughing stock of the whole nation practically overnight, Akechi Goro hadn't had the choice but to bite the bullet – the Phantom Thieves' ever-increasing popularity was convenient. The reprisal would hit all the harder when Shidou's hitman would pin the murder of Okumura Kunikazu on them... The public would associate his death with all the incidents that shook Tokyo during the past months, giving the Phantom Thieves hell like the perfect scapegoat they were in retaliation, and Shidou, relieved his tracks had all been successfully covered, would give his subordinate a well-deserved pat on the back. That is, before having another hitman at his disposal put a bullet in Akechi Goro's brain, of course. The teenager's face grew dark.  
  
The reminder of his father's ruthlessness was quickly overshadowed by confusion, however. He didn't need to check his phone to know today's date – the takoyaki had provided plenty of help already. Today was October 25th, 2016, but something was wrong. Judging by the implications this exchange with the Shujin students had provided, it seemed his popularity was currently downright abysmal. Last time, his image had been restored thanks to Okumura's death, but...  
  
"Are you playing dumb now? You're not getting cold feet, are you?" the tall student suddenly spat in annoyance. "And to think I used to admire you... Anyway, you'd better be there tomorrow. The whole school is waiting."  
  
On those words, he strode away to disappear around the corner of the hallway, his girlfriend still clung to his arm as though it were a life preserver. Akechi Goro had barely registered the vicious remark – his mind was too busy being cluttered with a mixture of puzzlement and unease. Could it be that history had changed again? Could it be that he didn't kill Okumura this time...? But he didn't do anything that could have rewritten history... did he?  
  
He wracked his brain over it, but he couldn't for the life of him pinpoint what could have triggered the existence of this new present. He brought a hand to his chin, thinking so hard he completely forgot Kurusu Akira was still there looking at him, a perplexed expression on his face that suggested he wasn't sure whether to speak or not. Meanwhile, Akechi Goro was trying his hardest to recall what happened less than one hour ago – or more accurately, what happened technically eight months ago. He was at that restaurant with Niijima Sae... he had slipped up when she mentioned her sister, but had managed to save himself from further suspicion by telling a lie... she had shared her worries surrounding the berserk incidents with him... and then... and then, Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide.  
  
_No way... that can't be it..._  
  
The teenager could practically feel his face turn pale. When she had mentioned the berserk incidents, he had been enveloped by a layer of guilt so thick, he had taken an oath to himself not to ever turn anybody into an empty shell anymore.   
It seemed S had omitted yet another crucial piece of information from their explanation, or perhaps simply didn't know about it. Akechi Goro had no way to tell for sure. Either way, he would have really appreciated knowing beforehand that _a mere thought_ was just as capable of changing history than any of his actions...

For a moment, the teenager stood completely still, his discomfort growing by the minute. He felt like there was something he was missing, something that might be so unsettling, he wasn't really sure he wanted to find out what it was. The thought had barely finished crossing his mind that his eyes widened a bit more, this time in fear rather than astonishment. If Okumura was alive, didn't that mean Akechi Goro had disobeyed his father's command...?  
  
"Um, anyway, good luck for tomorrow. You know, the speech and all." Kurusu Akira clumsily said, finally dragging him out of his trance, and looking very much puzzled by the detective's behavior.  
  
"Ah, um, yeah." was the only thing Akechi Goro, who was hardly listening, found to say.   
  
Kurusu Akira gave him one last curious look before walking away. Feeling a bit light-headed in reaction to the amount of information his brain was forced to process, the young man shook his head as if trying to clear it. After a moment of reflection, he figured home would be a more ideal place to ponder everything he had learned rather than Shujin, and he made for the front entrance with an unusually stiff gait. The school festival was in full swing, and Akechi Goro swallowed hard as he felt dozens of burning stares piercing through his body and soul. The hostility wasn't quite unanimous, though – a group of girls nearby, his most zealous fans, looked at him with pity, clearly disheartened that their precious idol had to endure such a harsh treatment. He merely gave them a reassuring smile.  
  
It was late afternoon when he left the school. Making his way through the streets, he eventually reached the nearest subway station. The trains were rather empty for that time of the day, but he wouldn't complain. Sighing in weariness, he got himself a seat near the doors and wrote to S. He felt like an entire lifetime had passed since they last exchanged messages.  
  
"We can't communicate while the ATN is active, right?" he typed, unwilling to beat around the bush. His phone buzzed pretty much instantaneously.  
  
"That is right. I still know all that happened to you while you were gone, however."  
  
"How?" he hastened to ask in an attempt to squeeze some answers out of them.  
  
"I just do."  
  
Akechi Goro groaned. S was nice, but he was starting to get annoyed at them for being so cryptic all the time, especially when it seemed he could hide no secret from them. Perhaps it was immature of him, but he couldn't help thinking this was unfair.  
  
"It has been a while. How are you holding up?" their new message said.  
  
He stared blankly at the bright screen. He thought about the frenzy that were those past hours – or days, or months, he didn't know anymore – since the last time he wrote to S. He thought about Okumura's Shadow, trapped in the gilded cage that was the sky garden. He thought about Sakamoto's eyes opening wide as Akechi Goro stabbed him somewhere near his side. He thought about Niijima Sae yelling at him in the interrogation room, and then letting it slip she was getting worried over the berserk incidents. He thought about the Shujin couple in the hallway looking forward to the detective's humiliation the following day. Bitterness settled on his features. Last time, Akechi Goro had been the guest of honor, his presence expressly requested by hundreds of die-hard fans. Now, it seemed he had still been eagerly asked to attend Shujin's festival, but for a completely different reason – rather than a guest of honor, he was really the curiosity to be laughed and pointed at.   
  
"I'm fine." he simply answered.   
  
Several commuters got up to leave as the train reached a station, only to be instantaneously replaced by a small crowd of people. Two middle-aged women quickly made their way to the seats across from the teenager's, one of them loudly complaining about some trivial matter Akechi Goro didn't hear.   
  
Before S replied, he finally gave words to the persistent frustration lingering on his mind. "Is there anything you might have forgotten to tell me about the ATN?"  
  
In hindsight, he believed he could have worded his message in a more polite way. Then again, he didn't feel so guilty – wasn't it S' job to tell him everything about the application?  
  
They took longer than usual to reply. Perhaps they actually felt somewhat embarrassed by their negligence, even though the teenager had trouble picturing an embarrassed S for some reason. "I am sorry. I could have told you about what you discovered by yourself thost past few hours but I figured you had already too much to take in, and I didn't judge those mechanics important enough to explain them to you. Of course, it never crossed my mind that you would find yourself in a situation where you could not press the icon yourself. I suppose I lacked foresight. Forgive me."  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't sure what to say to this. A part of him was determined to remain angry at S, but another, slightly louder part, figured it wasn't worth it.  
  
"Speaking of which, the way you outsmarted that woman was quite clever. That was some impressive quick thinking."  
  
At this, the teenager merely grinned to himself in much the same way a mischievous child would after pulling a successful prank. His face then fell a little, however – what would have happened if the ATN had failed him, back there in the interrogation room...?  
  
"And to answer your question, there is only one thing I have not told you yet about traveling in time, but it is not like you would find this information to be useful."  
  
He didn't bother asking S to elaborate anyway – he knew they would do so unprompted, and their next message confirmed it. "There is a way to go further back in time than the day you received your Persona without the Another Time Navi. It is a very tedious process, but it is possible. Not that it really matters, since going so far back in the past would not help you undo the Palace. It seems its creation happened in April of this year, isn't that right?"  
  
Akechi Goro didn't reply immediately. He really wanted to ask S how come they seemed to know so much about... everything, really, but something else bothered him even more. They clearly didn't think the same, but to the teenager, this new information sounded pretty important, too important to omit at least. But on the other hand, it was true there wouldn't be much point in going back further than 2014, since the only period of time relevant to the giant Palace appeared to be April 2016...  
  
While he was lost in thought, the two women sitting across from the young man kept giving him dirty looks as they mumbled something too inaudible for him to hear, but only now did he notice their glares. Their faces were familiar somehow, if only slightly – he figured they were possibly ex-fans of his, now busy swooning over the better, more interesting celebrities that were the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. He shrugged it off and started replying to S.  
  
One of the women, apparently upset at his lack of reaction, eventually averted her gaze. She then proceeded to do what she seemed to like best, judging by the sudden glint in her eyes – gossip. "Anyway, did you hear about Okumura? The CEO of Big Bang Burger? They said he's still comatose. He might be brain dead for all we know."  
  
Akechi Goro froze. His eyes never left his phone, but his attention was now fully on them.  
  
"You know what I think? This is just some strategy to get himself talked about. He's probably sipping cocktails somewhere on a private island as we speak." the other woman growled, apparently unable to conceal the envy dripping off her words.  
  
"But what about the police report? They confirmed his driver went crazy and crashed on the highway."  
  
"Yeah, right!" her friend cried out, causing everyone in the subway car, Akechi Goro included, to jump. Many commuters stared at her in disapproval. Either she didn't notice, or she didn't care – she continued speaking. "They're just his lapdogs. One snap of the finger and they all throw themselves at his feet. I'm telling you, there was no accident. This is all just a publicity stunt. I walked past one of his stupid restaurants the other day, the place was even more packed than usual. What are these idiots thinking?"  
  
"You're telling me." the first woman said in a tone of finality, apparently convinced by her friend's argument. She added something else, but Akechi Goro could barely make out her words. His brain was trying to process what he just heard.  
  
_Comatose...? He's comatose...?_  
  
A sudden buzz jolted him awake from his thoughts. Expecting to see yet another message from S, he checked it out – only to realize he had no new message. His phone had merely warned him the battery was getting low, and sure enough, the "15%" showing on the top right of the screen proved it. He shrugged it off – he would simply charge it as soon as he would be home.  
  
His phone vibrated yet again, signaling one new message this time.  
  
"I need you to come as soon as possible. There's something I want to discuss. Don't be late." Shidou Masayoshi had sent.  
  
Akechi Goro blinked. A very thin layer of cold sweat enveloped his body as he stared at the screen, not quite sure he understood the words. His first instinct was to press the ATN icon. Mere inches separated his finger from it but in the end, he pulled his hand back. There was something he needed to confirm first.  
  
His hands were trembling when he typed. "What happens if my phone battery dies while the ATN is active? Will I still return to the present when the time is up?"  
  
"Forgive me. I am not sure." S replied, causing the teenager's breathing to quicken a bit. S was not sure? How could they not be? It had always seemed like there wasn't anything they didn't know about...   
  
Akechi Goro glanced at the small TV screen above the doors of the train. According to the map showing on it, he still had to go through more than fifteen stations before reaching another one where he would then transfer to his usual line. The trip would take around one hour at best. By the time he would be home, wait for his phone to be fully charged, and then use the ATN to _escape_ , would Shidou's patience already be at its limit?... Would he retaliate so quickly?  
  
His lips parted as he observed the map more carefully. By some evil quirk of fate, the station he usually got off to go meet his father was getting close... very close...  
  
The teenager was at a loss. Going home now would mean disobeying his father, and he couldn't shake off the disturbing image of a hitman nonchalantly waiting for him inside his apartment, a silenced pistol in one hand...  
  
Perhaps the battery level in the present didn't matter. Perhaps going back in time would restore it to the level it was back then. Perhaps it would suddenly jump from 15% – 14% now, actually – to 70, assuming the ATN would be merciful enough to bring him to a period of his past where the battery was high enough. But something, a terrifying voice, told him this would be too convenient. Akechi Goro tried his hardest to remember if his phone battery jumped around as he traveled to the past and then returned to the present. He drew a blank.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he tried to steel himself. He was being foolish – there was no guarantee he would have to endure his father's wrath as soon as he would open the door to his office. For all he knew, Shidou simply wanted to task him with a new assignment. He had done so many times in the past.  
  
_But not on October 25th..._  
  
Akechi Goro did his best to ignore the tiny voice echoing inside his head and, just as the subway bell rang out to signal the doors to his station were about to close, he slipped through them. Fifteen minutes later, he was in his father's office, and his worst fear was confirmed. Shidou was angry.  
  
"There you are. I'll get straight to the point, Akechi. I want you to dispose of..."  
  
Something twisted inside Akechi Goro's stomach upon learning the name of the new target. He had clearly heard every single one of his father's words. But he wasn't sure he had understood them.  
  
"D-Dispose of Niijima Sae...?" the teenager repeated in disbelief, his voice faltering at the final word.  
  
"What is it? Don't tell me you grew attached to that woman." the older man snapped as he relaxed in his chair, a hint of cruelty corrupting his speech.  
  
"But... wouldn't that go against the whole plan–"  
  
"That doesn't matter." Shidou interrupted. "I can always find a way around it. Right now, my priority is to check whether you are loyal to me... or not."  
  
The mixture of fear and confusion on the teenager's face convinced him to elaborate. "You know, it always bugged me how all the targets you were supposed to get rid of those past few months only went berserk. They were supposed to _die_ , Akechi."  
  
Akechi Goro swallowed hard, his breathing quickening by the second. He felt like he was beginning to get a grasp on the situation, but at what cost...?  
  
"You were really lucky all of them ended up having near-fatal accidents. Especially Okumura..." Shidou said, his voice now worryingly slow. "It sure was convenient his driver went crazy on the highway... Almost as if he had gone berserk..."  
  
_Huh...? Did I do that...?_  
  
The young man didn't feel his heart pound faster in his chest. He wasn't aware of the sweat starting to bead on his forehead. Time seemed to have slowed down just like the blood in his veins. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. He was just standing there, looking at Shidou without quite seeing him. His trance was quickly broken, however – his father had suddenly stood up, slamming a fist hard against the wooden desk in an attempt to snap him out of it. Akechi Goro could only recoil in response.  
  
"So prove it, Akechi. Prove your loyalty to me. You might not be aware of it, but I have given you more chances than anybody else. Besides, you know what would happen if you were to disobey my orders, don't you?" he asked venomously.   
  
For a moment, Akechi Goro kept quiet. The answer to this was obvious – the sudden tingly feeling all over his upper body provided a cruel hint and yet, he knew his father was capable of much worse.  
  
"Yes... I do." he laconically answered, his eyes now devoid of any emotion.  
  
Unlike his eyes, his mind hadn't gone blank. It was filled with a long-forgotten wave of pure hatred, the same sort that had spread through his veins when he realized the source of the indelebile marks tainting his skin could be retraced to his father. There was no point in resisting it – he knew this was one battle he had no chance of winning.   
  
"You know, Shidou-san, I've often wondered..." the teenager slowly whispered, his voice sounding disturbingly robotic. "I've often wondered what exactly you would do if I stopped obeying..."  
  
This bold statement earned him a look of surprise that quickly stood aside for anger. Akechi Goro didn't flinch. He knew, of course, that in this new history, his father had never had him tattooed against his will. But the sudden scorching sensation all over his skin reminded him that it did happen. More than ink, it was really one long, unbreakable chain that had wrapped around his body, a chain that connected him to his father as though he were wearing a leash. Akechi Goro could never remove it and escape. Shidou had made sure of that.  
  
Suddenly, the young man gritted his teeth. His decision was made. Without a word, he spun around and headed toward the exit, his pace brisk.  
  
"Akechi? Where do you think you're going? Answer me!" Shidou barked, but the hitman didn't hear him. He had a new job to take care of.  
  
No sooner had he left the room that Akechi Goro began sprinting toward the subway station. Perhaps his father had understood what his subordinate was about to do. He actually hoped Shidou did – he wanted him to realize, he wanted him to know how it felt to fear for his life, exactly like the teenager had feared for his own many times before. The journey to his new destination felt considerably faster than traveling from Shujin to his father's office. His body shaking gently along with the rocking of the train, he absent-mindedly wondered what measures the older man would take to try and stop him. He listlessly glanced around, a tiny seed of paranoia growing somewhere inside his brain, but he quickly relaxed. Either Shidou hadn't sent his men after him, or the teenager had shaken them off, but the subway ride was peaceful. It felt oddly dissonant, in a way – this pleasant atmosphere clashed hard with the raw emotion consuming him, the emotion that had taken possession of him, the emotion that would lead him to commit the unforgivable.  
  
At last, he reached his destination. The National Diet Building looked quite majestic under the late afternoon sky, but he didn't pay it much mind. He took his phone out to open the Otherworld Navi – the battery level showed 8%, but it wasn't like it mattered now – and whispered the words that would seal Shidou Masayoshi's fate.  
  
"Shidou Masayoshi. Cruise ship. National Diet Building."  
  
In the blink of an eye, Tokyo changed to the desolate picture of a ship sailing across an endless, dead sea. What was left of the world could be seen floating in the distance, wreckage inexorably sinking into the depths of blood red water. The sight was unfortunate, but unworthy of the teenager's attention – he was a selfish person, there was no denying it. Without a sound, he entered the building and his uniform dissolved into his black armor. The proof of his hatred.  
  
The luxurious entrance hall, the sharp-dressed men holding a flute of champagne in one hand, the elegant women clinging to their arms, the magnificent stairway standing before him, the endless rain of confetti that seemed to pour from nowhere – nothing had changed since the last time he was here. Suddenly, his heart tightened, and Akechi Goro brought a hand to his chest. This place was where he had suffered two crushing defeats at the hands of the Phantom Thieves. It was where he had been forced to lay bare his real emotions for the entire gang to see. It was where he had painfully found out how much his existence meant nothing to his father.  
  
This place was where everything ended, and where everything began. And now, he was about to do something he should have done years earlier.  
  
A couple near the staircase seemed engrossed in a conversation. Akechi Goro approached them, his casual demeanor contrasting harshly with his current outfit. "Excuse me."  
  
None of them batted an eye at his strange appearance. Their friendly smiles, if a little wrong somehow, encouraged him to continue. "Do you know where... the captain is?"  
  
They stayed silent for a moment, clearly wracking their brains in an attempt to find the information he needed. Suddenly, the man's face lit up. "Ah, didn't he say earlier he was going to rest in his cabin?" he asked the woman, who nodded with a thoughtful look on her face.  
  
"He said he felt a bit dizzy, yes, but then again, he drank so much at today's party... Were you there, young man? I don't think I saw you." she wondered as she turned to address the teenager, only to part her lips in surprise – Akechi Goro was already gone.  
  
The whole ship's interior was familiar to him and pretty soon, he found himself before the door he had sought. An intricate, golden plaque was nailed to it, and the words "Captain's Quarters" were engraved on its surface. The door was locked, as if it was supposed to stop him, but it wasn't any sturdier than paper against Loki's powers. A huge, extravagant living room appeared behind it, so dream-like it was worthy of belonging in an actual palace. Slowly, he made for the door to what he believed was the bedroom and he quietly opened it. In the middle of the room was Shidou, seated on a beautiful red sofa, his back turned to the teenager. Something flipped in Akechi Goro's stomach at the sight, his eyes growing blank as he watched. A woman was sitting on his father's lap, her arms wrapped around his neck, and if Shidou didn't notice him entering the room, she absolutely did. Her face went from a healthy shade of pink to ghost white and she let out a shriek as she pulled away from the man's embrace. A split second later, Shidou was on his feet, roaring as he began turning around to inquire who had dared to trespass his territory. A bullet answered him, piercing his side like it was merely water.   
  
The woman screamed in terror and darted past the teenager to exit the room. Her high heels stomped hard and quickly on the floor but soon enough, the sound faded away. All Akechi Goro could now hear was his father, or rather the Shadow, breathing heavily. He had slumped down onto the floor, lying face downwards in an expanding pool of thick blood. More came out from his mouth as he coughed in a repulsive manner.  
  
It was hard to tell what Akechi Goro was thinking in that moment, for even he wasn't quite sure. Was he supposed to feel happy? Sad? Horrified? What was the normal reaction to have in response to such an abnormal situation?  
  
A pitiful sound caught his attention. The Shadow was speaking, or trying to, and his question nearly escaped the young man's hearing. "Who...?"  
  
Slowly, Akechi Goro approached the body. Golden eyes followed him, the light of life in them dimming by the minute. Without a word, he removed his glass visor and the Shadow gasped in astonishment. Something that could be interpreted as nothing else but disgust then twisted his features.  
  
"So it was you, Akechi... In the end, it seems you did me in. Like a coward, I must say... but I suppose it doesn't matter much to you..." he managed to wheeze, his speech shaking with coughs.  
  
The murderer kept quiet. He had nothing to say. He had a feeling the entity wanted to spit on his face, but of course, he had no way to do that, for Akechi Goro was towering over him like the conqueror he was, both the executioner and the vengeful god that had, at long last, quenched his thirst for justice – his very own idea of justice, that is. Shidou's Shadow opened his mouth again, and what came from it were his final words.   
  
"Tomorrow, it could be you."  
  
The teenager just stared in response. Moments later, the figure on the floor passed away. Its body vanished into thin air and, as if on cue, the ship began shaking like it was trapped in an earthquake. Screams of panic could be heard somewhere far away and Akechi Goro exited the room at a run, making his way through a human jungle that knew it was doomed. The same couldn't be said for him and he rushed toward the main entrance. As soon as he darted past the giant doors, the ship vanished. He was back.  
  
Nothing remarkable happened upon his return to the real world, the one that felt more real than his father's despite being a Palace as well.  
There was no fanfare or confetti showers to greet him. There was no crowd to applaud and acclaim the charismatic hero who saved them all from the claws of the corrupt, evil politician. There was no one to congratulate him and shake his hand. There was no flashes from hungry cameras to blind him. There was no admirer to give him flowers and call him their savior. The streets surrounding the building were eerily empty.  
  
Without knowing why, he took his phone out. He had just enough time to notice the "1%" showing on the screen before it automatically shut down, refusing to turn on again no matter how long he held the power button. For a while, Akechi Goro stood there, completely motionless, but he eventually found the will to leave – he had no business here anymore. His eyes hard and his mind blank, he headed home without ever looking back. A very sharp-eyed observer might have noticed how the brick walls of the National Diet Building seemed to have cracked a bit. Akechi Goro, for his part, didn't.  
  
It was twilight when he finally reached his apartment. He didn't bother switching on the lights – the first thing he did after removing his shoes was charge his phone and, with a sigh of relief, he let himself fall down on his bed, staring at the ceiling.   
  
_I won... I won, you bastard...  
_  
At long last, the reality of the situation was dawning fully on him, not unlike a slow-acting poison. Suddenly, Akechi Goro felt a tidal wave of emotions rushing through every last fiber of his body. In around a week, Shidou would wake up dead. His days were numbered, and the teenager was eager for the countdown to reach zero. A part of him wondered if his father was even aware of this, or what he was doing at the moment, but it really didn't matter. What mattered was his victory over his worst enemy. He was a hero.  
  
The words echoed inside his head, slow and powerful.  
  
_"Tomorrow, it could be you."  
  
_ At this, all Akechi Goro could do was laugh.  
  
His laughter resonated in the dark room for what seemed like an eternity. It took him a moment to realize it, but his laugh sounded eerily similar to the one his impostor had let out, back then in the engine room. Eventually, it quieted down, and the atmosphere fell silent. He sat up straight and turned on his phone, without ever unplugging the cable. The battery level read 7%.  
  
His eyes lingered on the messaging application, but he chose to ignore it in favor of his bed. Something was wrong, he thought as he lay down again. This was what he wanted but in that case, why did he feel so _empty?_ He was supposed to feel happy, relieved, satisfied, but all he got for a reward was an excruciating pain tightening its grip around his heart. It didn't take him long to figure out why he was feeling this way, however. It wasn't because his father was about to die, of course – no, what made Akechi Goro feel so miserable, what forced him to admit he deserved no redemption, was knowing that his resolve not to kill anymore had vanished from his mind as quickly as it had come to him.  
  
In the end, Akechi Goro hadn't changed at all.  
  
He was still bound by a foolish desire for revenge. His hands were still covered in blood. He was still a blemish on this world. He was still a murderer.  
  
He thought meeting Okumura's Shadow had taught him what compassion was. He thought accidentally killing Sakamoto had taught him what guilt was. He thought he had found another way to shine when he stumbled upon the Another Time Navi, but the vicious serpent called murder had pulled him back in its deadly embrace just as he was about to escape, and its poisonous fangs had now corrupted what used to be the blood inside his veins. There was no way to purge it – the cure had disappeared a long time ago. Almost as if an evil spirit had decided to rub salt into his wounds, he found himself thinking about his mother and, with a trembling finger, he instinctively grazed one of the silver jewels pinned to his collar. Perhaps she had been right to reject him before he was even born – she simply got rid of the time bomb before it could explode in her arms. Anybody else would have done the same when confronted to the worst son of all.  
  
Strangely enough, while he felt guilt when it came to his mother, he felt none for Shidou. Instead, he wondered what would have happened if his initial plan to surpass him had succeeded. His father would have fallen to disgrace and he would have risen to the top, but what would he have done afterwards?  
  
_"I will keep focusing on my studies."_ is what he had answered when Shidou had asked him about his plans for the future. Akechi Goro couldn't remember whether this had been a lie or not – he wasn't so sure studying would have managed to fill the emptiness eating away at him. His whole life had revolved around his father, and once he would be gone, the teenager's purpose in life would follow suit. What fate awaited those kinds of people, the ones who had nothing left to live for?  
  
For what felt like an eternity, the teenager stayed silent. The last remnants of the sun slowly stepped aside for the cold light of the moon, but something eventually pierced the silence – his phone had buzzed, the vibration sounding as loud as a gunshot in the stillness of the room. Rolling over toward the nightstand, he reached for his phone and, careful not to pull on the cable too much, read S' message.  
  
"What you did was wrong, but you can always fix it, you know."  
  
S had probably intended their words to be reassuring, but they had an unexpected effect on the teenager instead. A sudden, powerful jolt of anger hit him head on, piercing him like a knife.  
  
"I don't need you to lecture me." he sent, not bothering to sound even remotely cordial.  
  
His rude answer didn't seem to offend S in the least. "Stop being childish. You know you do not want to be a murderer."  
  
The teenager's eyes widened. He jumped out of bed, straining the cable hard in the process, but he barely noticed – his lingering wrath for his father had now S in its scope. "Why does it matter so much if I am?! Nobody gives a shit about me!"  
  
"I do."   
  
It took Akechi Goro more than one reading to fully understand the message. His chest heaved with every single one of his quick breaths.  
  
"And not just me. Your friends care too, I am sure of it."  
  
At last, the glass lock denying his emotions freedom shattered into a thousand pieces. "Stop calling them my friends already! They're not! They never were!" he wrote in blind rage. It was so overpowering that the young man, not quite aware of himself anymore as though he were being possessed, threw his phone hard across the room, the cable nearly tearing off while being unplugged. It bounced hard off the wall to end its flight on the floor.   
  
His phone buzzed – it seemed it hadn't broken – but Akechi Goro ignored it, too furious to care. What the hell did S know anyway? What gave them the right to spit the truth of his crime in his face? Why did they even bother pretending to care?  
  
He clenched his fists in fury but somehow, he couldn't avert his eyes from his cell phone. He simply stared, enthralled, but stubbornly refused to retrieve it. Eventually, he let himself fall to the floor, his back pressed against the side of his bed and his breathing quick. He didn't know what to feel anymore. His mind was going blank, and struggling against the white mist making its way toward him was futile. Even so, he saw his phone through the smoke. It looked almost like a dark point far away amidst an endless white void. His breathing gradually returned to normal and, as though his body were guided by some mysterious force, he climbed unsteadily to his feet to pick it up. Despite the long crack running across the screen, it seemed to be working just fine.  
  
"You have the power to undo every single mistake you made. Do not forget that."  
  
The bright words, shining all the more in the obscurity, burned into his retinas. Almost as though he were obeying a command, Akechi Goro found himself observing the ATN icon. It was flickering in a regular and gentle pattern that reminded him of a calm heartbeat. The sight was almost hypnotizing, and he gazed at it far longer than intended. Pressing it would mean erasing the atrocity of his crime, but he had a feeling holding this power in his hand was only spoiling him rotten. Each time he used the application, wasn't he just running away from the responsibilities of his actions instead of facing and accepting them? Something inside him told him that yes, he was, and the realization stung like a deep slash running across his entire body.  
  
Even as he kept staring at the screen, Akechi Goro couldn't help but wonder – was the Another Time Navi a blessing?... Or a curse?  
  
At first, he had no doubt it was the most precious present he could have ever asked for. Now, he wasn't so sure.  
  
The young man had no idea how long he had been peering at his phone but then, as he was about to finally put it away, his eyes noticed the "72%" showing on the bright screen. The Another Time Navi was now ready to be safely used.  
  
Taking a very long and deep breath, he pressed the icon. His body went numb, but his surroundings surprisingly didn't change. Only two hints indicated he had successfully traveled back in time – the dark hue of the night sky turning into a beautiful shade of light blue as swiftly as a video playing in fast-forward, and the warm sunlight flooding his bedroom and freeing him from the darkness. According to his phone, today was March 22nd, 2016.  
  
The rays of light shining on his face managed to lift some weight from his heavy heart. He might as well make the most of the radiant sun before being sent back and, after a short pause, he left his apartment.


	14. Case 13 - SUPERSTITIOUS

"That will be 120 yen, please. Thank you!"  
  
Akechi Goro answered with thanks of his own as he took the small paper bag from the employee's hand. She gave him a bright smile – really a plastic smile, but bright nonetheless – and he scarcely had time to blink that she was already attending to the next customer in line. The hundreds of intricate, colorful cakes and sweets lined up across the large display of the bakery were quite a sight to behold, and people seemed to agree – the place was crowded with mesmerized young children and long-suffering parents, so much that the teenager had to practically fight his way through the human maze to reach the exit.  
  
The early time of the day didn't seem to put a damper on Tokyo's effervescent rhythm – the streets were blooming with life and calm turbulence. Businessmen went on their way at a brisk pace, a phone to the ear and a briefcase in the hand. Two middle-aged women were engrossed in a conversation that seemed to involve plenty of bragging surrounding their respective children. A group of cheerful girls, likely on their way to school, howled with delighted laughter as a handsome student winked at them but never stopped in his tracks, and Akechi Goro simply watched those familiar yet strange patterns of life unfolding before his eyes. Some passersby glanced at him, but he made sure his eyes never met theirs. To them, the teenager now making his way through the crowd probably appeared like a perfectly normal high school student, and he chuckled bitterly at the naive thought – there were many things Akechi Goro was, but "normal" was not one of them. Yet, while he could be considered abnormal, he knew he had failed to become special. It was almost funny, he thought as his expression darkened, how his desire to be recognized worldwide as an extraordinary person had blinded him into doing whatever it would take to achieve this goal. Anything goes when it came to the pursuit of a dream, after all.  
  
_No, that's wrong_ , Akechi Goro thought, and he groaned at his own stupidity, unable to comprehend how come it took him so long to figure this out. Being special didn't mean cooperating with his father with the intent to stab him in the back later on. Being special didn't mean building a career on lies and cheating his way to the top. Being special didn't mean betraying and murdering a friend in cold bloo–  
  
He couldn't bring himself to finish this thought. No, Kurusu Akira wasn't a friend. After all, Akechi Goro's existence meant nothing to him, just like it meant nothing to everybody else.  
  
_"Your friends care too, I am sure of it."_  
  
That was a lie, and he knew it.  
  
"Hey, kid! Watch where the hell you're going!" a passerby spat as the young man nearly collided with him, too consumed by his thoughts to pay attention to his surroundings.  
  
Muttering an apology under his breath – the man seemed furious, more so than the teenager thought was normal for such an insignificant incident – Akechi Goro let out a long, weary sigh escape his lips. He knew he was being childish. He knew, deep down, that the Phantom Thieves probably cared, if only a bit. After all, they had been willing to let him join them again in spite of everything he did... but even now, he couldn't for the life of him understand why they had forgiven him so easily.  
  
Akechi Goro sighed once more. He knew he was wearing blinders again, seeing only what he wanted to see, hearing only what he wanted to hear. They didn't forgive him – they merely gave him a second chance, a miracle that he didn't really believe should have happened, for it wasn't convenient as much as he would have liked even if he didn't realize it immediately. Their unexpected gesture forced him to admit that everything he did was really all just a waste. They made him realize there might have been another way to reach happiness, and it stung hard. They made him acknowledge a feeling he thought he had managed to lock deep within his heart, the feeling he really could do without. Akechi Goro didn't know what he was supposed to do with this newfound emotion. He had no idea what the next step was. He wasn't sure how to get a hold of himself, what to look for, where to start.  
  
The beginning of an ache made its way into the teenager's brain as though it was protesting against the thousands of thoughts cluttering it. He breathed yet another sigh.  
  
Really, it would be easier to undo the Palace and then simply vanish from the face of the earth, never to see the Phantom Thieves again. Especially their leader – eventually, Akechi Goro would forget about Kurusu Akira, and that suited him just fine. He tried to ignore the nagging voice reminding him to stop lying to himself and embrace his true feelings already, yet he knew, he really did, that he should listen to it. Even so, if he were to meet the black-haired boy again, what was he supposed to say?  
  
_"It might be a bit hard to believe, but there was a time when I betrayed you and put a bullet in your brain while I gloated over it. Sorry about that. Can we be friends now?"_  
  
The thought was so ridiculously stupid Akechi Goro couldn't help but smile to himself, some tension leaving his body as he did. On second thought, he was glad he chose not to tell Kurusu Akira the truth when he had the opportunity to do so – he had no trouble picturing the black-haired boy's eyes widening with shock as he wondered if the detective had lost it. Now, if he were to meet him _after_ Kurusu Akira found out about his true nature... he wasn't so sure he could bear to look him in the eye. He would probably spin around and walk away, feeling the other's piercing stare burning into his back until finally, he would risk a glance over his shoulder, only to realize the black-haired boy had disappeared amidst a sea of people. Really, this was the best outcome Akechi Goro could hope for, but in that case, why did this prospect sound so upsetting?  
  
In an attempt to distract himself from the gloom threatening to overwhelm him again, the young man left the lively street to look for a more secluded, calmer area, where he could try and relax a bit. A strange twist of fate led him to a playground he had already visited before – this is where he had met Morgana a while ago. The Another Time Navi had shattered his notion of time and he couldn't tell exactly how long it had been since then, but he figured it didn't really matter. The area was unsurprisingly deserted, for it was now late enough for children to be at school. Akechi Goro was supposed to be there as well, and while he could have chosen to attend classes – it was 8 in the morning when the ATN brought him back, meaning he wouldn't have been late if he had hurried a little – he didn't feel so much like being stuck in a classroom for one hour. The radiant sun of late March, so bright it felt cleansing, was way more appealing to him, and the gentle breeze caressing his face ultimately convinced him he had made the right choice. Besides, the consequences of skipping school didn't matter much to him anymore.  
  
His eyes lingered on the set of swings that had already caught his eye in the past and, after a quick glance that assured him he was alone, he sat there on one of them once again, exactly like he did on that September evening. Suddenly, his stomach rumbled as if to remind him of the melon bread he just purchased. Even through his leather gloves and the paper bag, he could feel the pleasant warmth of the pastry on his fingers, and the sweet smell wafting from it wasn't any less comforting. Removing his left glove, he tore off a small piece of bread and brought it to his lips. He couldn't help but close his eyes while savoring it – the center was as soft, warm and chewy as could be, while the top was crusty and sprinkled with tiny chunks of crunchy sugar. The contradicting textures mingling together felt like heaven on the teenager's tastebuds and he eagerly bit into the pastry, not bothering with good manners any longer – it wasn't like there were witnesses around.  
  
As he kept snacking on his melon bread, Akechi Goro took a look at his surroundings, and smiled a sad sort of smile. He could practically reenact all that happened the last time he had been here – recklessly summoning Loki but being well-rewarded in return as his eyes grew wide, realizing the Palace already existed as of September 2016. Hearing a small voice somewhere to his right, and feeling his heart skip a beat when Morgana's piercing eyes peered at him. Feeling like time had stopped and then had begun moving again at the sight of the cat suddenly darting past him to report what he just saw to the Phantom Thieves. Witnessing for the first time the consequences of changing history afterwards, and then assuring Kurusu Akira around ten days later he definitely wasn't the black-masked Persona user Morgana saw as a way to get himself out of this tight spot.  
  
"I really went too far that time, didn't I?" he muttered quietly. There was no one to answer him.  
  
Really, there were many times when Akechi Goro went too far, but in that moment, all he could remember was that specific memory. A tiny part of the teenager urged him to seek the black-haired boy as soon as possible and lay bare the truth of his crimes and his feelings once and for all, regardless of the reaction the other could have. He merely drooped his head in response, aware he couldn't comply just yet, for he still wasn't sure what would be the best way to phrase what he wanted to say. Perhaps there was another way to convey what he felt, without having to resort to words...?  
  
_"In this anime I watched the other day, they said you should always give a present to someone when you apologize to them. So... I want you to have this."_  
  
The little boy's cheerful words had echoed in his head as if on cue, and the young man looked off into the distance, a thoughtful look on his face. Perhaps he could give Kurusu Akira a present the next time they meet as a way to apologize for everything he did to him, before he even got to do them...  
  
A sudden flapping sound interrupted his train of thought. A crow had landed nearby, leaping aimlessly around the playground. Suddenly, it stopped to gaze at the teenager. Something about him must have caught its eye, for it took the bird a good five minutes before finally looking away. Akechi Goro wasn't sure what to make of this, but he chose to pay it no mind. Without really thinking, he took his phone out, wincing as he noticed the crack due to his outburst was still there on the screen, and checked the time. It was apparently 8:18 am, which meant he had only around forty minutes left before being sent back. He couldn't help but shiver in anxious anticipation – no matter where he would find himself next, he truly hoped it wouldn't be worse than being greeted with a fireball in the mouth.  
  
He threw a quick glance in the crow's direction and, feeling hit by a sudden wave of generosity, crumbled away what little melon bread he had left for the bird to eat. It immediately gorged in, and with a small smile, Akechi Goro stood up and left the playground, his new destination unclear.  
  
Eventually, he found himself back to a very familiar part of town – the famous Shibuya crossroad. As always, the white lines of the giant pedestrian crossings could be seen disappearing under a sea of people, only to reappear for a few minutes before the next wave concealed them again. There was something a bit hypnotic about the sight, like watching the ebb and flow of the tide on a deserted beach. But then, as he could feel himself starting to get lost in the coming and going of the passersby, something broke him out of his trance – someone was playing the guitar nearby.  
  
Akechi Goro turned around and sure enough, a man was there near the subway entrance, sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar on his lap. The teenager could barely make out his face, for part of it was hidden in the shade of his hat. The harsh sunlight only intensified the strong contrast of light and darkness on his features, almost as though that person was the result of a portrait whose artist had chosen to use only solid black and white without any shading whatsoever. Nobody was paying attention to him, possibly too busy with their fast lives to spare him even a glance. Akechi Goro, for his part, wasn't in a hurry – time didn't mean much to him anymore. Figuring he had nothing better to do before the hour elapsed, he checked the time on his cell phone – it showed 8:32 am – and then approached the musician to listen, not bothering to put his phone away.  
  
_"People call me a fool for falling in love with lady Fate herself."_ the man was singing as a pleasant melody accompanied him. His eyes gleamed for a split second at the sight of the teenager, but he never interrupted himself. _"But what they don't know is, I don't love her at all."_  
  
After a short pause broken only by a nostalgic yet energetic series of notes, he resumed singing.  
  
_"I cheat on her like I cheat life and death_  
_But she found out and I'm now paying the price_  
_I can't escape the tiring loop, the same old end_  
_I relive life again and again to die like I died millions of times before_  
_She smirks at me, and I answer with a smirk of my own"_  
  
Even concealed in the shade, his gaze met with Akechi Goro's, who could detect the shadow of a smile appearing on the musician's lips.  
  
_"I can't let fate win."_ he finished while the strings vibrated with a long, final chord. The teenager frowned.  
  
The song had been pleasant enough to listen to, but each verse only managed to fuel Akechi Goro's perplexity more and more as they went on. The lyrics sounded rather familiar to him and he wracked his brain in an attempt to remember when or where he heard something about a similar topic before.  
  
"Do you know this song?" the guitarist asked as he looked up, finally exposing his face to the sunlight – it was serene and friendly. He appeared to be in his mid-forties at most.  
  
As Akechi Goro opened his mouth to reply, a wave of realization hit him head on like an unstoppable ram. He wasted no time in answering. "No, it's just that... it reminded me of something I heard a while ago."  
  
Of course, he was unwilling to elaborate – he couldn't exactly say it was some sort of supernatural entity that told him something about reliving life and death again and again, as if trapped in a never-ending loop.  
  
The man gazed at him for a very long time. He wasn't sure what to make of this.  
  
"Really, you don't? I'm surprised to hear that. It's extremely popular." the musician eventually said, with something in his voice that sounded strangely like reproach. The teenager was at a loss, and it seemed that it showed, for an amused smile then brightened the older man's face. "Just kidding. I wrote it."  
  
Again, Akechi Goro had no idea what to say in response, but the man clearly didn't expect an answer anyway – he continued speaking. "So what do you think? Endless circle of life and death, bound by fate, all that stuff, is it true or not?"  
  
The teenager took some time to ponder the question.  
  
"I am not really sure myself, but... I met somebody who seemed convinced this was true." he answered at last, but his hesitation betrayed his own skepticism.  
  
While he had offered no counterargument to Okumura's Shadow back then, on second thought, he wasn't so sure something as ludicrous as reliving life after death could be possible. As for fate, he thought as he glanced at his phone still held tight in his hand, wasn't Akechi Goro the proof that it wasn't set in stone? Of course, he couldn't say he was happy with the surprises fate had left for him since his first jump back in time, but it was still evidence enough to deny the Shadow's claims.  
  
"Well, that person was right." the man countered as though he had just read Akechi Goro's mind. "You, me, everybody around us, we're just guinea pigs for time and fate to experiment on."  
  
The puzzled look on the teenager's face convinced him to elaborate. "Ever heard of déjà vu? It's the proof it's real."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't need to ask what "déjà vu" was, for he had stumbled upon the expression years ago in a book he had randomly picked up out of boredom at his school library. Back then, he didn't think much of it. It was only at that moment, right there in the middle of Shibuya, that he realized how relevant the term was to him. After all, wasn't the Another Time Navi a form of déjà vu – already seen?  
  
Interpreting the teenager's silence as concession, the man nodded, seemingly pleased he was able to convince him. "It's funny, isn't it? Mankind likes to think it's above everything else, but it's really small fry in the hands of time and fate. Bet the gods must be having a good laugh up there."  
  
Akechi Goro tensed up.  
  
"The gods...?" he repeated blankly, not quite sure he properly heard.  
  
"Yeah. You believe in them?"  
  
"... I don't know." the young man laconically replied.  
  
But even as he answered, a voice echoed through his head – his own voice, from a memory he had desperately tried to forget, yet to no avail.  
  
_"I don't know if it was a god or a demon, but someone reached out to me and gave me a chance! I couldn't stop laughing!"_  
  
A lingering tinge of embarrassment he thought he had successfully repressed sent a flow of blood to his head and he could feel his cheeks heat up, if only slightly. Even so, the reminder of his childish behavior was quickly overshadowed by the question that was addressed to him. Akechi Goro hadn't lied, for he really wasn't sure whether gods existed or not – he wasn't thinking rationally anymore when he had made that statement back then – but on the other hand, what else could explain the sudden existence of his power...? This was something he had wondered about very often, without ever finding a satisfying answer.  
  
"They're real, you know. One of them is close to you after all." the singer insisted matter-of-factly, earning a look of utter confusion from the teenager in response.  
  
"What?" was the only thing he found to say.  
  
Instinctively, his grip around his cell phone tightened.  
  
"Just kidding. Really, you shouldn't take me so seriously." the other hastily replied.  
  
Akechi Goro stayed silent, glaring at the musician for making a fool of him. But then, he realized the man probably wasn't kidding at all – his eyes were bright with something the teenager couldn't put his finger on. He tried to dismiss the sudden hint of uneasiness threatening to overcome his mind, only to fail spectacularly at doing so. Could it be that gods actually existed? Could it be that it was really one of them that gave Akechi Goro his power? Or was that man just saying nonsense? And what was that about a god being close to him anyway?  
  
Suddenly, a shiver ran down Akechi Goro's spine. The prospect of some kind of superior and invisible entity following him around like his shadow was chilling.  
  
The guitarist probably noticed his discomfort, for he scratched the back of his head sheepishly and awkwardly changed the subject. "You know, I've been singing in the streets for more than twenty years now, but you're the first one to actually stop and listen to me."  
  
"That's a shame." the teenager replied absent-mindedly, still trying to figure out whether the man had been mocking him or not.  
  
"I'm not sure how to put it... It's like I'm invisible to them. Is my singing that bad?" he wondered with a deep, cheerful laugh.  
  
It really wasn't, Akechi Goro thought. No, barring the strange beliefs the man had shared with him that could definitely put people off – although this clearly wasn't the problem, seeing as no passersby ever talked to him if his words were to be believed – the only possible explanation that came to the teenager's mind for this strange treatment was how the singer seemed so withdrawn and discreet, it was no wonder people didn't so much as pay him a glance. Come to think of it, there might be another reason, but Akechi Goro couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was. He gave the man a long stare, determined to put words on his assessment. Something about him made the teenager uncomfortable. Something strange... something eerie.  
  
"Are you alive?" the guitarist suddenly asked, snapping the young man from his thoughts.  
  
"What...?"  
  
Akechi Goro blinked, caught off-guard by the question, but his round eyes quickly narrowed in annoyance. He knew it was ironic of him, what with the power of the ATN in his hand, but he couldn't help thinking that man was wasting his time.  
  
"I'm asking you if you are alive." the man repeated, his voice that of a patient father.  
  
"O-Of course I am."  
  
"Really? Then tell me, how does it feel?"  
  
Figuring entertaining this man with pointless answers could drag far longer than necessary, Akechi Goro decided to take another approach.  
  
"Shouldn't you know? After all, you are alive too." he pointed out, a hint of irritation showing in his voice.  
  
"You think? I guess I really am then." the older man nodded, his words sounding disturbingly too serious given the absurdity of the conversation.  
  
At long last, the realization hit the teenager like a blow – that man was really making fun of him. But before he could open his mouth to retort, he finally understood what caused the musician's presence to be so unnerving to him – there was something otherworldly about his manner. It was a strange choice of words, but Akechi Goro couldn't think of any other way to accurately describe him.  
  
Yet another smile showed on the man's lips, clearly pleased to be the focus of such intense attention.  
  
"Anyway, I don't feel so much like playing the guitar all of a sudden. Maybe I'll take a break." he said while stretching his arms, then proceeded to stand up and pack his belongings. Once done, he turned to address the teenager again. "Good luck with the rest."  
  
It took Akechi Goro a moment to register the strange advice. Perhaps he was overthinking it, but that man sure seemed to know more than he was letting on, and the teenager's heart rate slowly but surely increased in response. The guitarist's next words only turned the alarm bells ringing inside his head into deafening sirens. "The world needs your help after all, right? Talk about one massive weight to shoulder. I think you'll be fine, though."  
  
This statement, more or less thrown away by the musician, might as well have been a jolt of electricity, for it left the teenager so stunned that he had to struggle to pull himself together. Even so, as the man's silhouette was slowly growing smaller and smaller, he couldn't help but ask, his voice shaking with a mixture of timidity and strange captivation.  
  
"Who are you...?"  
  
"Me? I'm just your average street singer." the man shrugged as he glanced over his shoulder at him. After readjusting the straps of the guitar case on his back, he walked away to vanish into the crowd, leaving an Akechi Goro more confused than ever behind.


	15. Case 14 - JOKER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. A quick note to let you know that starting next chapter, like I said the other day, my schedule will change from one chapter every Sunday to one chapter every two Sundays. This means that chapter 16 will be published on March 19th instead of the 12th, chapter 17 on April 2nd, and so on. Again, sorry about that!

There was silence around Akechi Goro when he was left alone in the huge street. He could see passersby chat, bicker or laugh around him just fine, but he heard nothing. He just stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at a meaningless point among the crowd without quite seeing it.  
  
Of course, there was nothing to see anyway. Among the sea of people, the guitar case on the musician's back had looked almost like a lighthouse, but it was now long gone. All that remained was what felt like a dark and mute world, the teenager, and a maelstrom of theories, thoughts, and questions consuming his mind.  
  
Who was that man? How did he know about Akechi Goro's objective? Why did he ask him how it felt to be alive? How come there was something _spectral_ about him? How come he seemed so convinced that mankind really was trapped in a never-ending loop? And why did it look like he was definitely not joking around when he mentioned a god being close to the teenager...?  
  
A slow drop of sweat trickled down Akechi Goro's back. He could sense the beginning of nebulous answers forming in his head, but he wasn't so sure he wanted the fog around them to clear. Doing so would only force him to acknowledge the impossible. The musician was probably bored and had decided to mess with him for his own entertainment. Yes, Akechi Goro thought, that made perfect sense.  
  
The young man allowed himself to relax a little, only for the tension in his body to return nearly at once. As much as he liked to think his explanation was more than acceptable, he couldn't deny how fragile it really was – because it actually didn't make any sense at all. It completely failed to explain how insightful the man was, too insightful in fact for his remarks to be a mere coincidence or a lucky guess. The teenager thought hard, so hard his brain felt like it was about to overheat, but no amount of rational thinking could provide him with a satisfying explanation. It seemed he had no other choice but to discard any notion of disbelief and put words on the indistinct answers clouding his mind.  
  
For some reason, more than the secret to the man's suspicious insight, it was one particular statement of his that both disturbed and intrigued Akechi Goro the most. The existence of gods... could such a thing really be true? And perhaps more importantly...  
  
_"One of them is close to you after all."_  
  
Akechi Goro was entirely lost, his brain struggling to process the massive amount of information cluttering it. He felt insane for even allowing himself to think this, but... he couldn't deny how the vibe this man's presence gave off definitely hadn't felt like it belonged in this world. Perhaps he wasn't a mere musician at all. Perhaps he wasn't even human...   
  
The adolescent shook his head, as if to stop his train of thought before it could reach a conclusion. This theory was so absurd he had trouble comprehending how his mind had managed to form it. He was just being gullible – there was no way gods really existed. He had been a fool to even consider the idea, be it now, or back then.  
... But, Akechi Goro thought as he looked off into the distance, if it turned out gods were real, and that one of them was close to him... it sure would shed light on the biggest mystery of all, as far as he was concerned. The mystery that was S.  
  
Perhaps S was the person the singer was referring to. Perhaps S was a god. It sure would explain many things if they were. Their knowledge about Akechi Goro himself, for one thing. Gods were said to be omniscient, weren't they? And S had proven times and times again that they were quite good at being omniscient... The teenager couldn't say he liked it, but it was fact S knew all about him, be it his emotions or his past. They probably even knew about the memories that had long since vanished from the teenager's mind. Perhaps S actually knew more about Akechi Goro than he did himself...  
  
Feeling suddenly very light-headed, the young man took a deep breath. In an attempt to distract himself, if only for a few minutes, he listlessly glanced at the home screen of his phone and his eyes stopped on the messaging application. He pressed the icon and opened the window where his entire conversations with S were recorded. It was cluttered with hundreds of messages but no matter how many he skimmed over, he couldn't squeeze anything out of them. No clue about S being a god. No hint about their true identity either.   
  
Akechi Goro breathed a long sigh. He couldn't believe he was actually tearing his hair out trying to make sense of this. All he got instead of answers was a headache. Perhaps he really was on the wrong track, and perhaps there really was no such thing as gods...  
  
As he kept skimming through the conversations almost absent-mindedly, one particular message caught his eye. The date next to it indicated that it had been sent, or perhaps more accurately, will be sent, on September 13th, 2016, six months from today...  
  
_"When the world around you turns out to be a lie, I think everything is possible."_  
  
His eyes widened ever so slightly while reading S' words.   
  
_Everything is possible, huh..._  
  
... Of course, it would be quite hypocritical of him to deny the gods' existence when he had the power to summon a supernatural entity, could explore another dimension and travel through time. But still...  
  
Akechi Goro momentarily broke free from his thoughts to gaze at his surroundings. The world around him was no longer dark or mute, not unlike a broken TV screen finally flickering to life after being repaired, but he refused to let himself get distracted. Finding out whether S was a god or not still didn't answer his biggest concern – namely their true identity. He brought a hand to his chin as he pondered how to figure it out, and then gasped at the sudden idea pushing through his brain cells. Perhaps he had been wrong to believe S was omniscient. Perhaps there was another explanation for their knowledge about his past, his present, and his future. Now, considering this fact, who was the likeliest person to know about this? Could it be...  
  
_Myself...?_  
  
Akechi Goro's stomach twisted itself into a tight knot. The thought was absurd – no, borderline insane. Could S really be himself? Was that even possible...? It sounded unbelievable and he had no idea how it could work but, the more he thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make... but even so...  
  
"No, that's crazy. There's no way that's it." he quietly snapped as if trying to convince himself, but his voice wasn't firm enough to do the trick. He felt like it would be unwise to completely disregard the possibility, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.  
  
A sudden sharp pain pierced the young man's brain and he let out a weak groan. He brought a shaky hand to his head and rubbed a sore spot somewhere near his temple, but it provided little relief. Who could S be, if it wasn't himself...? Perhaps the name itself could lead him on the right track. S... was that an initial? It seemed likely, although the teenager had no evidence to support his guess. There were many people he knew whose first or last name started with an S... such as Niijima Sae... or Shidou Masayoshi...  
  
Despite himself, the teenager smiled bitterly. While Shidou could be considered a god among men by his allies and enemies alike, something told Akechi Goro that his father wasn't exactly the kind of god the singer probably had in mind. Really, he had been foolish to even begin entertaining the idea – there was no way S could be Shidou. After all, they seemed to care about him, and his father did not. And while Niijima Sae seemed to care, if only a little, it made even less sense for her to be S. No, Akechi Goro thought, he was on the wrong track, that much was certain.   
  
A small shot of irritation rushed through the teenager's veins. All of this was just a waste of time and a source of frustration. He wanted answers, and instead of wracking his brain in a futile attempt to get them, he might as well ask S directly, once and for all. And this time, he would make it clear his patience was wearing thin.  
  
He had scarcely begun typing his message when he suddenly stopped as a very annoying realization dawned on him. There was no point in sending S a message now, for the ATN was still active. This wasn't really a problem, though. All he had to do was wait for the hour to elapse, and it seemed it wouldn't take long – the time on his phone showed 8:59 am. Then, almost as if on cue, the world started moving at an extremely fast pace. More specifically, the people around did – his surroundings didn't so much as change, only the passersby came and went, as though their own flow of time had sped up. Then, the phenomenon stopped and Akechi Goro glanced around. If the passersby hadn't been there to prove him otherwise, he might have believed the application had failed to bring him back, for this new day was just as sunny and pleasant as the one he had been sent from. A quick look at his phone told him today was March 20th, 2017 – the same day he had woken up in the black corridor and met S.  
  
The young man squinted as a bright sun shone on his eyes. He quickly walked to a spot in the shade of a tree nearby and wrote to S.  
He was about to press the "send" button when a voice somewhere behind him rang out. A familiar voice – too familiar. Akechi Goro jumped, almost as though somebody had slid an ice cube down his back. His heart froze, and his body as well.   
  
"Akechi...? Is that you...?"  
  
He didn't answer. He knew who was talking to him. But he didn't feel brave enough to turn around, because his worst fear would come true if he did. Without a word, he started walking away, making sure not to let any trace of his nervousness show in his gait. He couldn't help but relax a bit when he realized he was being left alone. His relief didn't last long.  
  
A hand grabbed hold of the teenager's wrist, its grip so strong Akechi Goro thought it might leave a mark. It was almost like Kurusu Akira was afraid the brown-haired boy could vanish into thin air any second now if he didn't keep hold of his wrist...  
  
"I knew it... it's you... it's really you."  
  
Kurusu Akira left him no choice. Slowly, as if seconds had become minutes, the teenager turned around and the firm pressure around his wrist finally lifted. Kurusu Akira had the look of someone who had just seen a ghost but his reaction was understandable, for Akechi Goro was currently looking far more like a ghost than a living human should – his face was pale, his lips set in a grim line, and his eyes were dark and lifeless. Soon enough, the surprise reflected within the black-haired boy's eyes gave way to something the teenager wasn't sure how to interpret.  
  
For a moment, none of them spoke. Akechi Goro couldn't properly register the world around him anymore. All he could see was the person standing in front of him, and all he could hear was his own heartbeat. But Kurusu Akira spoke up again, his voice sounding as loud as a gunshot in the silence around them.  
  
"It's been a while." he simply said, a note of warmth in his words. He could have told him "welcome back" and his voice wouldn't have sounded too different.  
  
"Yeah... Long time no see." Akechi Goro awkwardly replied, forcing his gaze to meet with the other's, but he could barely hold it for more than a few seconds and settled for a point between his eyes. He didn't pay it so much attention last time – he was about to kill him after all – but it felt a bit odd to see Kurusu Akira without a mask or a pair of glasses, as if his face was an unfinished portrait.  
  
The teenager shook his head, torn between exasperation and distress. Of all the places to be, of all the people to meet, he just had to meet _him_ , and _now_. He hadn't minded seeing him at Leblanc or at Shujin's festival back then, because at that point, Kurusu Akira didn't know yet... he didn't know how despicable the detective really was. But now, he knew the detective really was a liar, a cheater, a traitor, and a murderer. Akechi Goro's breathing quickened, the overpowering atmosphere crushing him as though his shoulders were burdened with a great weight.  
  
Kurusu Akira, for his part, seemed serene – he looked almost relieved, actually. If he felt the sudden change in the atmosphere, it didn't show. "... Good to see you, Akechi."   
  
It took some time for Akechi Goro to process those words. His lips parted in confusion and he blinked several times, dumbfounded. Then, it clicked, and something inside of him broke.  
  
"Good to see you...? Good... to see you?" he repeated, his voice way too close to a growl. His body was now shaking with anger and he gave up trying to regain control over it. "What the hell is wrong with you...?"  
  
Kurusu Akira's eyes widened and he instinctively took a step backward. He opened his mouth to possibly try and salvage the situation, but whatever he was going to say never left his throat – his previous words had already set off the minefield that was currently Akechi Goro, and it was too late to escape the reprisal.  
  
"Why do you have to be like that?! How come you're not treating me like, like some murderer?!" he exploded, his features distorted by rage. "Why do you always have to be so... so..."  
  
It seemed Kurusu Akira wouldn't get to find out what exactly he was – Akechi Goro's voice trailed off and his shoulders slumped, like his outburst had drained him of all his energy. The black-haired boy wanted to speak but ultimately shut his mouth again, probably figuring out Akechi Goro needed to get his feelings off his chest even if he might not realize it. Besides, it appeared he had found his energy back, for he resumed yelling at him even more vigorously.   
  
"Why aren't you angry at me?! You are supposed to hate me! Any idiot would figure this out!"  
  
"... I guess I'm a real idiot then." Kurusu Akira simply answered with a shrug, prompting the other to glare daggers at him.  
  
Akechi Goro was livid. Around him, people glanced but he barely noticed, too withdrawn from the world to pay attention to his surroundings. Somewhere far away, he could hear them whisper, but all he could focus on was the person standing before him – the person he hated. He hated how unpredictable Kurusu Akira was, he hated how impossible he was to understand, and he hated him for making everything way more complicated than it should be. Akechi Goro's breathing was now irregular and fast, like somebody had kicked him in the stomach, and Kurusu Akira's next words only delivered the final blow.  
  
"I do not hate you, Akechi. Sorry, but there's nothing you can do about it." he sassed with the faintest of smiles on his lips.   
  
The words hit just like a slap, so much that Akechi Goro forgot to be angry for a moment.  
  
"But... why?" he asked weakly, his eyes that of a confused child.  
  
"It wouldn't really make sense to hate the friend who sacrificed himself to save me and the others, don't you think?"  
  
Though prompted, the teenager didn't respond. He merely looked down, his face concealed behind his bangs. It felt as though his heart had been replaced with a lump of lead. The last traces of anger possessing him drained away, and all that was left was... nothing. He didn't understand. He didn't even want to try and understand anymore. He had finally accepted Kurusu Akira was a case that would remain forever unsolved.  
  
Slowly, he looked up. His expression was now unreadable. "How come you don't even look that surprised to see me...? It's almost as though... as though..."  
  
"As though I knew you were alive?" Kurusu Akira finished, earning a gasp in response. "Well, it's not like I knew... more like I had a hunch."  
  
On those words, he took his cell phone out and stayed silent for a few seconds. Akechi Goro blinked, confused yet curious as to what he was doing. Suddenly, his own phone buzzed in his hand and he checked it out. Somebody was calling him – the name showing on the screen read "Kurusu Akira."  
  
His heart skipped a beat. With a delay, he looked up to notice the black-haired boy was holding his phone face up toward him, his contact list open for him to see. Among names he recognized and others he did not was his own. A knot of muscle gripped his throat.  
  
"When we left the cruise ship... I had a hard time believing all that happened there was real." Kurusu Akira explained, relief and sorrow written across his face in equal parts. "It was almost like... my mind refused to accept it. It felt wrong, to believe you were gone."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't answer immediately. His eyes weren't blank anymore. They were filled with only one, single emotion – disbelief. "So this is why... you never removed my number...? Because of a hunch?"  
  
"Yeah. That's why."  
  
At this, all Akechi Goro could do was stare. For a moment that seemed to stretch for an eternity, he stayed silent, and then took a long, deep breath. When he parted his lips to reply, his voice was calm.  
  
"You really are an idiot." he simply stated, earning a smile in response. A short silence filled the air around them before he spoke again. "Still, thanks... for not rejecting me."  
  
The words had escaped his throat before he could force them back in and his cheeks suddenly felt like they were on fire. He looked everywhere around him except at the black-haired boy, bracing himself for the inevitable snicker.  
  
Kurusu Akira didn't laugh. Instead, he seemed glad that the other was finally honest with himself, if only slightly. He decided to change the subject however, possibly in an attempt to spare him further embarrassment. "... Many things happened while you were... away. I'm not sure where you went, but I wish you would have come back sooner. Don't tell the others, but it felt a bit lonely without you."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyebrows shot up. "Lonely? Why would you say that? You had them–"  
  
"You know, Akechi..." Kurusu Akira interrupted, his eyes strangely sad all of a sudden. "When I found out there was somebody with the same power as mine... I was happy."  
  
"W-What...?"  
  
The teenager was at a loss for words, a foreign and strange sensation overwhelming him as he struggled to find an appropriate answer. In the end, he could only gaze at him, his face marked by uncertainty. The world around the two of them was definitely still there, but it felt like they were all that remained. It took Akechi Goro a moment to realize he was blushing again, like a schoolboy would after failing to answer a particularly easy question. In a way, that's what it was – for the first time in his life, somebody was showing him what affection really was, and he had no idea what to make of it. He felt vulnerable, he felt distressed, and he felt angry at himself for failing to understand what was obvious to the rest of the world.  
  
His lack of proper answer had apparently not offended the black-haired boy, for his eyes lit up as he spoke again. "Anyway, I was on my way to see the others. They should be somewhere around here, near Shibuya 105..."  
  
Kurusu Akira gave the teenager a look that suggested he had something in mind, and he didn't take long to elaborate. "Let's go together, alright?"  
  
Akechi Goro tensed ever so slightly. It took him a split second to answer. "I'm sorry... I'd rather not."  
  
"Why? You're one of us." the other immediately replied, his face falling a little.  
  
The young man's heart tightened at the sight. The words had been said so spontaneously he couldn't help but avert his gaze, unable to look Kurusu Akira in the eye. His offer was tempting, but he drowned out the part of him that desperately wanted to accept it, glancing at his phone still held tight in his hand. As always, the ATN icon was flickering, reminding him of the promise he had made to himself. The world was still a Palace... he had to go.  
  
"I'm sorry, Joker, I really can't..."  
  
Kurusu Akira tilted his head in confusion, and Akechi Goro understood right away it wasn't because of his refusal.  
  
"Why are you calling me Joker?" the black-haired boy asked, genuinely curious.   
  
"Um, sorry, I wasn't thinking..." the other stammered clumsily, unable to come up with a more satisfying explanation.  
  
Of course, there was a reason for Akechi Goro's reluctance to call Kurusu Akira by his real name aloud, but being asked outright why made him realize he would make a fool of himself if he were to share it. Calling him "Kurusu Akira" to his face would be ridiculous and awkward. Simply "Kurusu" felt too blunt, and while he could call him "Kurusu-san", it seemed off, somehow. And calling him "Akira"... Perhaps he was overthinking it, but he believed he didn't have the right to do so. It felt... too forward, too intimate. It was a name reserved for his closest friends only, and Akechi Goro knew that he was nowhere near that level, no matter how many times Kurusu Akira could tell him otherwise. This is why calling him Joker was simply easier – it was the perfect compromise. There was only one time when he did call him by his first name, but he had figured he could get away with it for once. After all, it happened on the day when he was certain Kurusu Akira and the rest of the Phantom Thieves would die by his hand.  
  
"Anyway, I really should–" he began, only to trail off, a thoughtful look on his face.  
  
Akechi Goro shook his head. It took him only a few moments to realize he couldn't leave it at that, and the saddened expression on Kurusu Akira's face only cemented the thought in his mind. He knew he was hurting him again like he had hurt him many times before, and a lump found its way in his throat in response. All he wanted was to stay by his side, but he knew he couldn't, at least not yet. Still, he wanted Kurusu Akira to know, he wanted him to realize how he truly felt, but he had no idea what approach to take. Thousands of possible words and sentences spun in his head, but none of them could faithfully convey what he wanted to tell him.  
  
Kurusu Akira had been his rival. The person he had hated and admired all the same. An obstacle to get rid of.  
But he was now his friend – the very first friend he ever had. And yet, he knew the word would refuse to leave his throat. But then, how could he let Kurusu Akira know about his true feelings? How could he, when he had never been taught how to accept but also return genuine affection?  
  
He glanced at the black-haired boy while gathering his thoughts. Kurusu Akira's face was serene, if a bit melancholic, and somehow, the sight managed to help him think. While Akechi Goro had already planned his murder back then, he had truly enjoyed himself fighting by Kurusu Akira's side in the casino. When he had denied Morgana's assumption in the engine room, he knew he was only lying to the cat, and to himself as well. When he believed he had successfully killed his rival, it wasn't just glee that had taken over his mind, although he didn't realize it until now. There had been something else filling his heart – or leaving it. Something cold, something empty.  
  
The young man clenched his teeth, his facial features suddenly distorted by pain. He should never have called Kurusu Akira an idiot when Akechi Goro really was the idiot all along. He had always been, and it was unlikely he would stop being one anytime soon. But then, as if to save him from the cloud of sorrow about to engulf him, the little boy's advice suddenly bobbed to the surface of his mind, like a tiny light shining across a dark blue sea. That's right... a present...  
  
All of a sudden, Akechi Goro's eyes lit up. He returned his phone to his pocket and then reached for one of the silver jewels pinned to his collar to unclip it. Kurusu Akira watched him in silence with what seemed like a mixture of curiosity and confusion.  
  
"... You successfully reformed Shidou, right?" the brown-haired boy asked, and the other nodded, seemingly surprised this needed confirmation, but kept quiet.   
  
The young man took a long breath. "... Apparently, it's common knowledge that you should give somebody a present when you... when you thank them after they did you a favor."  
  
He knew this wasn't what the young boy had told him, but even now, he couldn't be entirely true to himself.   
  
"So... I would like you to have this. Consider it a thank you gift for keeping your promise to me and reforming my father." he said as he presented the black-haired boy with the jewel.  
  
Of course, this wasn't his main reason. Akechi Goro wasn't thanking Kurusu Akira so much as he was really apologizing for everything he did, from lying to betraying and nearly killing him. Still, he couldn't deny he did feel grateful that the black-haired boy had honored his promise. Essentially, he was... almost honest.  
  
Judging by his lack of response and the confused expression on his face, Kurusu Akira definitely hadn't expected this gesture, prompting Akechi Goro to clarify. The more he spoke, the easier he found it to keep going. "Those jewels belonged to my mother. They are the only things she left for me, I think. For as long as I can remember, I always had them."

Melancholy washed over his features. He wanted to believe those jewels contained what little affection his mother had for him. And now, he was planning to transmit his own affection to the only person that had managed to break through the boundaries he had spent years setting up. It felt almost childish, almost silly, but he was past caring at that point.   
  
Kurusu Akira's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "And you want to give me something so precious to you? Sorry, Akechi, I can't acce–"  
  
"Please... I would appreciate it if you had one of them. This way... you might not forget about me."  
  
Those were empty words, of course – this entire encounter would be erased from existence the second he would press the ATN icon, and there was no way around it. The last memory of Akechi Goro, in Kurusu Akira's mind, would be when he seemingly died in the cruise ship. The teenager's heart clenched. He didn't want to be forgotten, he didn't want Kurusu Akira to forget about this day, but he knew this was beyond his power.  
  
Even so, he couldn't help but insist, his voice little above a whisper, and his eyes staring at the ground. "Please... don't forget me."  
  
This was a foolish request, and he knew it.  
  
Kurusu Akira didn't react immediately, as though he had trouble processing those words. "Huh? Why would I...?" was all he eventually could say, now clearly worried.  
  
The teenager hastily gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Sorry, I'm just saying nonsense. Don't worry about it."  
  
He then extended the hand holding his present a bit more toward him. "Please take it already. I still have the other." he insisted as he gestured toward the second jewel still pinned to his collar. "If each of us has one, it's fair, isn't it?"  
  
The black-haired boy seemed uncertain, but it appeared he figured out he had no say in the matter. He eventually reached out and picked up the jewel in Akechi Goro's hand, who couldn't help but look away again despite the contact being short. It wasn't the first time Kurusu Akira had touched his hand – the memories of the many times they fought together and helped each other were still vivid in his mind, and yet, this contact felt different. He wasn't sure in what way it was.  
  
"Thanks. I'll treasure it." Kurusu Akira said with a grin, and he carefully slid the jewel into his pocket. Akechi Goro answered with a smile of his own.  
  
It took the black-haired boy a moment to realize the smile on the other's lips was the sort that wasn't entirely happy, but Akechi Goro spoke up before he could inquire about it.  
  
"I... I am really glad I got to talk to you. I will never forget about today, I promise."  
  
He had been staring at the ground, but he quickly looked up straight at Kurusu Akira. It hadn't been his intention, but he realized his words sounded somewhat ominous and it seemed this didn't get past the black-haired boy. For a moment, Kurusu Akira looked like he had no idea what to make of this strange statement.  
  
Suddenly, Akechi Goro spun around, earning a gasp in reaction. "Akechi? Where are you going? What about the others?"  
  
The brown-haired boy didn't face him, making it impossible to determine what sort of expression he was wearing on his face. "I told you, I can't come. I have something to do."  
  
On those words, he took his phone out again. It wasn't really a phone anymore, now that he thought about it. It was his trump card, the ace up his sleeve.  
... No, more than an ace, it was perhaps his own joker, actually.  
  
For the first time, Kurusu Akira's composure broke. "Just tell me where you're going then!"   
  
The brown-haired boy looked over his shoulder and gave him a small, reassuring smile in response. He made it clear he wouldn't answer.  
  
"Akechi..." the other insisted, apparently unable to prevent his voice from wavering.  
  
Taking pity on him, Akechi Goro eventually turned around a little, his body not quite facing him. "It's alright... I am sure we will see each other again very soon."  
  
His smile went from small to beaming. It was probably the brightest and most genuine smile to ever show on his face, but it wasn't entirely cheerful – it was also resigned.  
  
The young man averted his gaze from Kurusu Akira and forced himself to steel his resolve. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the ATN icon. The black-haired boy's eyes widened in surprise – he had no way to know for sure, of course, but he probably figured something was about to happen, something he _didn't want_ to happen. His hand reached out toward him, but it was too late.  
  
"Goodbye... Akira." Akechi Goro whispered, and he believed Kurusu Akira was shouting something in response, but he didn't make out any of his words. He was gone.


	16. Case 15 - DISTRUST

As he saw flashes of memories swirling around him at an extremely fast pace like he was trapped in a tornado, all Akechi Goro could think about was Kurusu Akira.  
  
There were many times when he found himself thinking about the black-haired boy but unlike before, it wasn't hatred or fascination that fueled those thoughts. It was something different, an elusive feeling he couldn't really put his finger on, but the way his heart felt strangely both light and heavy provided him with the beginning of an answer. Perhaps it was a cocktail of happiness and sorrow that had taken over his mind – the joy of finally being important to someone, and the pain of saying goodbye to this person. It was a sweet yet prickly contradiction, like a beautiful, thorny rose.   
  
A sudden but not unexpected dizziness snapped him out of his thoughts. The world was spinning fast, faster than usual, and his head quickly followed suit. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt at preventing the vertigo from working its way into his stomach, but it did little good. Bile was threatening to rise up in his throat and he brought a hand to his mouth, breathing as deeply as he could so as to relieve his urge to throw up. Lightheadedness eventually claimed both his body and mind, and he could feel his consciousness slowly slipping away. His thoughts mingled and blurred but then, when he realized his legs were about to give out, something immediately brought him round. Something cold, pressed hard under his chin.  
  
_Huh...?_  
  
His eyes shot open.  
  
The first thing Akechi Goro thought when his eyes adjusted to his surroundings was that he probably already fainted and was now having some sort of dream, or more accurately, a nightmare.  
  
The second thing he thought when he felt the gun pressing harder under his chin was that he would never forget this face.  
  
And finally, as he felt sweat escaping through every single pore of his skin, he realized there was something else he wouldn't ever forget – those words.  
  
"How does it feel? How does it feel to know you're about to die?" the fake Akechi wondered, his features distorted into something that barely seemed human, exactly like on that day of November.  
  
And just like last time, Akechi Goro didn't answer, but for an entirely different reason. Inside of him, something had stopped. His vision was blurry, and his brain wasn't working properly anymore. The only thing that hadn't shut down inside of Akechi Goro was his heart, pounding frantically in his chest in spite of the icy grip tightening around it.   
  
Behind the wall he was being pinned against, he heard hurried footsteps stomping hard on the floor, but their sound eventually faded to an ominous silence. All that was left was two teenagers who shared the same face, and the threat of death looming in the air above them.   
  
Akechi Goro saw the impostor's mouth move, but he could barely make out his words. Driven by mere instinct rather than rationality, he raised his own weapon a bit higher, right in the middle of his assailant's forehead. For a moment, all he could do was stare. The double's features were a perfect copy of his own but they were also horribly wrong, like he was looking at an eerie, distorting mirror. While those eyes reflected insanity and malevolence, Akechi Goro's eyes were filled only with fear. His mind was almost gone, about to be replaced by an empty, white fog. Blurry fragments of consciousness tried to pierce through, however, and he forced himself to focus on them, desperate to prevent emptiness from engulfing him. Then, without warning, those fragments became vivid, so vivid they felt like a whiplash, and the teenager's eyes opened wide as two pressing questions danced within his head. _"Why was I sent here? Why did I have to relive this nightmare?"_  
  
But then, just when he sensed despair was about to swallow him whole, a very faint jolt of relief slowly made its way into his brain, like a tiny ray of light coming down from a dark, gloomy sky. Of course... how could he have forgotten? There was no need to be afraid, because he knew he wouldn't die here – the impostor had missed his shot back then after all, and he would undoubtedly miss now as well. All Akechi Goro had to do was press the trigger and he would be safe, exactly like last time. Were it not for the knot of muscle gripping his throat, he would have probably chuckled at his own, unjustified cowardice.  
  
The thought had only just entered his mind when the impostor let out a demented laugh that resonated eerily inside the engine room, and he remembered this was his cue to act. Steeling himself, his gun leapt once, in near perfect synchronization with the double's own weapon. Two gunshots pierced the air and Akechi Goro couldn't help smiling a weak yet victorious smile when he realized his bullet had gone cleanly through the other's skull. He didn't linger on it too long, however, for his brain finally registered the excruciating pain coming from somewhere around his side.  
  
_... What?_  
  
A moment later, he was on the floor, writhing in pain.  
  
"No... no way..."  
  
A pool of blood quickly expanded around him. He clutched his wound hard in a desperate attempt to somehow lessen the pain, but it did little good. Blood trickled down his lips and more came out as he was suddenly having a coughing fit, unable to comprehend how could this have happened.  
  
_This... this is wrong... this wasn't supposed to..._  
  
The pain was of a sort he had never experienced before. It felt burning hot, as though somebody had aimed a flamethrower at his side. Warm blood gushed from his wound, staining his dark suit and mingling with the sweat covering his skin. Paralysis quickly took over his body and soon enough, he couldn't move anymore, every ounce of his strength leaving him with each second that passed. It felt like an inhuman effort to even keep his eyes open. His eyelids were heavy... too heavy, and no matter how much he struggled to stay awake, they inexorably drooped further and further.  
  
Even as his vision began fading to nothingness, he saw the corpse of the impostor. He had collapsed awkwardly to the floor, his limbs twisted at an odd angle, like a broken, discarded puppet. And now, Akechi Goro would join him.  
  
_No... no... this is wrong... this is wrong! This is wrong this is wrong this is wrong this is wrong this is wrong this is wrong!_  
  
Akechi Goro wanted to scream those words, as though doing so might undo this impossible fate, but he wasn't strong enough anymore to speak. Save for the loud panting coming from him, the room was silent.  
  
_Why... why did this happen..._  
  
Those were the final thoughts Akechi Goro's brain managed to form before his world went dark.  
... But it didn't go mute.  
  
"... hidou... ather...?"  
  
"... o way... is... true...?"  
  
"... so that's... did all this..."  
  
Akechi Goro could hear voices echo somewhere far away, but he was long past caring. All he could focus on was how exhausted he felt and how the prospect of a long nap sounded extremely interesting to him. But before he even got the chance to actually fall asleep, the voices suddenly rang louder, like an annoying and persistent buzz. His eyes eventually fluttered open as he prepared himself to yell at whoever was disturbing his long-needed rest...  
... and then he stopped, his eyes going wide with shock.  
  
Eight pairs of eyes were watching him, the surprise in their depths a perfect reflection of his own. His vision lingered from person to person when at last, it clicked. Those people were the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.  
  
"What... what are you..." he began, his voice weak, only to trail off when he finally registered how dizzy he was feeling. He was no longer lying down but standing up instead, and something told him he was dangerously close to crumple to the floor again if he didn't recover fast. But then, as if an evil spirit had just read his mind, a sharp pain pierced his brain and he instinctively brought a shaky hand to his head. It felt like it was about to split open...  
  
"Hey, what's gotten into you?!" a loud voice yelled scathingly, and it took some time for Akechi Goro to make the connection – it was Sakamoto who spoke.  
  
All the blond teenager got for an answer was a weak groan. Akechi Goro's legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees, then to his side, clenching his teeth in pain.  
  
"Huh...?"  
  
"What's wrong with him?"  
  
"Is he hurt?"  
  
"That's probably an act!"  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
Suddenly, all of them started talking at once. The young man could barely make out what they were saying or tell which voice belonged to whom, but he couldn't pretend he really cared anyway. His brain was too busy trying to figure out what this strange vision had been about. Perhaps he actually fell asleep and had a nightmare while the ATN was sending him back, but that seemed unlikely. What he just experienced felt... real. Disturbingly real. He instinctively brushed up against his side. He knew he wasn't wounded and yet, he swore he could feel a tinge of pain around the area where he had been supposedly shot. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but...  
  
Trying to dismiss the unease slowly working its way into his mind, he glanced at his surroundings. Just like in his vision, he was inside his father's Palace – inside the engine room. There were two differences, however. His double was no longer there, replaced by the Phantom Thieves instead, and his dark armor had given way to his regal, eye-catching white outfit. So this is where the ATN had decided to bring him back this time... and it didn't take him long to deduce that the consequences of traveling back in time were the reason he felt so dizzy. But why did he feel so much worse than usual...?  
  
He tried to think, but the incessant chatter coming from the thieves didn't look like it would die down anytime soon and made short work of Akechi Goro's patience. But then, he realized there was something he needed to know, and only the Phantom Thieves could provide him with the answer.  
  
"Hey... what did I just tell you?" he managed weakly, his voice shaking with his panting. The room immediately fell silent, and it wasn't difficult to understand why – his strange question had clearly taken the thieves aback. It didn't help that even when lying on the floor, there was something forceful about his speech. They were towering over him and yet, he showed no sign of cowering.  
  
He had been staring intently at Kurusu Akira, but it was Niijima who replied.  
  
"Why are you asking this...?" she inquired, her eyes narrowing in wariness.  
  
"Answer me..." he insisted with a low groan, grudgingly forcing himself into a sitting position. "What did I just tell you? What were we talking about?"  
  
They all looked at him as though he had gone completely insane.  
  
"You told us you were Shidou Masayoshi's illegitimate son, and... that you cooperated with him only with the intent to stab him in the back later on..." Okumura answered with hesitation, clearly puzzled by the sudden change in his behavior, light years away from the spite and the resentment he had expressed only minutes before.  
  
_Good... I didn't lash out at them just yet..._  
  
A very quiet sigh of relief escaped his lips. He couldn't pretend the realization wasn't comforting. Now, he might be able to salvage the situation, if only a little. Perhaps he could even...  
  
His eyes suddenly widened as a powerful realization dawned on him. Shidou... Shidou was waiting somewhere on this ship. And this time... instead of relying on the Phantom Thieves, he could seek him by himself and make him pay for everything he did.  
... Of course, he knew there wasn't much point in doing so. Confronting his father wouldn't undo the giant Palace after all, and so he would have no choice but to use the ATN again as soon as the hour had elapsed. But still... this was probably his only chance to face his demons once and for all, even if the result of this confrontation was destined to be erased from existence. Besides, he was stuck in this fragment of his past for one hour – he might as well make the most of it.  
  
Something stirred inside of Akechi Goro's stomach. He wanted to confront his father, but he couldn't leave it at that – he would have to reform him as well. This is when he realized he actually needed to rely on the Phantom Thieves just a little longer, for he wasn't confident in his capabilities to reform Shidou by himself. But them... they had done it many times before, and it was extremely unlikely they would screw up what seemed like a very nebulous process to the teenager, regardless of the explanations he had been given back then. It would be safer to simply face Shidou and leave the rest to them.  
... Of course, he couldn't say he was exactly happy with having his father reformed, but he figured it was better than having him walk away scott-free... or killed again.  
  
"... You were about to go and reform Shidou, right?" he asked, still unwilling to stand up just yet.  
  
But unwilling or not, it turned out he had no say in the matter, for Sakamoto suddenly grabbed him by the collar and forcefully pulled him to his feet.   
  
"What the hell are you on about, you bastard?" he inquired venomously, fury written all over his face. He looked like he was fighting an urge to punch him. "First you blackmail us, then you betray us, then you almost kill our leader, then you turn up just like that and now your attitude completely changes for who knows what goddamn reason! What the hell's wrong with you?"  
  
Sakamoto shook him hard as he spat those words, but Akechi Goro wasn't especially impressed. His voice was a cold monotone when he replied. "Hey... let go."  
  
"The hell?!"  
  
The blond teenager looked positively furious but also baffled, as though he couldn't believe Akechi Goro's nerve to remain so indifferent in the face of the situation he was in. He pulled the young man in white closer toward him, something very similar to a growl escaping his throat. Their faces were actually so close that Akechi Goro's mask was almost poking him between his eyes.  
  
Sakamoto opened his mouth again but somebody beat him to the punch. It was Kitagawa. "Do you have something in mind?"  
  
Akechi Goro gave him a weak smile, pleased with his willingness to listen. "I do. I would like you to help me reform my father."  
  
A heavy silence followed his request. Unsurprisingly, it was Sakamoto who broke it. "What the hell are you saying now?!"  
  
"I don't get it..." Takamaki said, her head tilted in confusion. "What exactly is the deal with you...?"  
  
A murmur of agreement rose from the rest of the thieves. She had clearly given words to what all of them were thinking.   
  
Trying to ignore the ache still nibbling at his brain, Akechi Goro took some time to decide what the best approach would be. He was aware he had to hurry up, however, for his time was limited. Not just because he had only one hour before being sent back... but because the fake Akechi could show up any moment now.  
  
"I told you before, didn't I? That my idea of justice wasn't motivated by honorable reasons like doing good for the sake of society or for some moral ideals. To me, justice was... and still is about getting back at the adults who believe they are untouchable... like Shidou."  
  
"So that's what you meant when you mentioned that grudge of yours, back then at Leblanc..." Sakura muttered, her tone strangely flat.  
  
"And now you're saying you want to join us... even after betraying us and nearly killing Joker?" Morgana wondered in disbelief, the pitch of his voice one octave higher than usual.  
  
The accusatory note in the cat's words didn't get past Akechi Goro. His answer was for Morgana, but it was Kurusu Akira he was addressing when he spoke. "... I won't ask you to forgive me, because I know I don't deserve it. But... I want you to know that..."  
  
The young man wasn't sure how best to phrase what he wanted to say. The corners of his lips eventually rose into a sad sort of smile, and it was with some effort that he forced himself to meet the black-haired boy's gaze. "When I thought I had killed you, Joker... it made me feel... empty." _Although I took a while to realize it..._  
  
"Bullshit!" Sakamoto snapped, causing everyone in the room to jump. "You murdered him in cold blood and now you're saying you actually felt remorse?!"  
  
"It's the truth." the brown-haired boy calmly replied. Sakamoto tightened his grip on his collar and looked like he was about to explode, but he really couldn't blame him. What he did to Kurusu Akira was unforgivable. He considered himself lucky that Sakamoto hadn't started beating him up yet.  
  
For the first time, Kurusu Akira spoke. It was hard to tell what was reflected in the depths of his eyes. "Let me get this straight. Your goal was to get revenge on Shidou for personally wronging you, and you put yourself at his disposal so that you could stab him in the back afterwards. But there's something I don't understand..."  
  
He interrupted himself and brought a hand to his chin, clearly puzzled. "You made it clear time and time again you were against reforming people, you said it wasn't right. And yet, you're now willing to have Shidou reformed? What about your initial plan?"  
  
"... I changed my mind." Akechi Goro lied.  
  
It was a lie, because he still believed reforming someone was wrong. To be more accurate, reforming _Shidou_ was wrong, because whatever guilt he would feel afterwards wouldn't be spontaneous. It would be... unnatural, and the teenager didn't want his father's apology to be forced out of him. He did want him to acknowledge he had made Akechi Goro's life a living hell and feel remorse for it, but... not by having his heart stolen. It would be unsatisfying, or so the teenager believed. Still, he knew there was no other option.   
... Besides, he had another reason for wanting to join the Phantom Thieves, but he wouldn't be caught dead sharing it. He would never admit aloud that he missed fighting alongside Kurusu Akira.  
  
"... So what should we do?" Niijima eventually asked, snapping everybody out of whatever thoughts they were consumed by.  
  
"What do you mean what should we do?" Sakamoto immediately barked as he looked over his shoulder at her. "Don't tell me you're thinking of taking him back?"  
  
"Well... I don't know..." she muttered, clearly lost. Sakamoto seemed so outraged by her hesitation he let go of the brown-haired boy and spun around to face her. Akechi Goro's legs were still too weak to support his weight and he crumpled to the floor again, swallowing the curse threatening to escape his lips. He grudgingly forced himself to his knees.  
  
"What's wrong with you, Queen?! You know what that guy did!" the hot-blooded teenager spat, obviously unable to comprehend what was happening.  
  
"But... he looks like he genuinely feels remorse for what he did to Joker..." Okumura demurred with her timid voice, causing Akechi Goro to avert his gaze from the group. He knew he was supposed to be glad that of all people, it was Okumura, the daughter of one of his victims, that was standing up for him. And yet, he couldn't feel happy. Instead, he felt... ashamed.  
  
"Remorse or not, that doesn't excuse what he did! Who the hell goes this far just for the sake of a stupid plan like that?" Sakamoto insisted while clenching his fists.  
  
"... He probably believed this plan he devised was the only way for him to be acknowledged. I'm pretty sure it didn't cross his mind that there might have been another way to get what he wanted... right?" Morgana wondered, his gaze meeting with Akechi Goro's, who nodded almost imperceptibly but stayed silent.  
  
"And just like us, he wants to confront the person who wronged him. I can understand why he feels this way..." Takamaki sighed. The young man could practically sense her silently weighing up the pros and cons of accepting him back.  
  
"There's no denying he is not innocent, but he clearly is a victim as well. The way he was treated probably pushed him over the edge." Kitagawa reasoned, a hint of melancholy washing over his features. "I suppose this is why he was willing to go this far for the sake of his plan..."  
  
A short silence fell on the room as everyone pondered those words. It soon became clear that they were all thinking the same thing. _"I could have become just like him, were it not for the Phantom Thieves..."_  
  
"Don't get me wrong, Skull. I have no intention of forgiving him." Niijima suddenly spoke up, her voice sounding much firmer than earlier. "But... we were all lucky enough to confront our enemies. Don't you think it would be unfair if he didn't get this chance?"  
  
For a moment, Sakamoto looked like he had no idea what to say in response. Even if he clearly didn't like it, he couldn't deny they all had a point.  
  
"I'm with Skull. I don't think taking him back with us is a good idea."  
  
All eyes turned to the person who spoke, but Sakura apparently didn't intend to elaborate.  
  
Encouraged by this small display of support, Sakamoto perked up a bit. "She's right! I mean... look at him. He practically can't stand up on his own. He would only slow us down at best..."  
  
"... Or stab us in the back at worst... again." the redhead finished flatly.  
  
Her whisper sounded eerily loud in the silence of the room. The atmosphere immediately became tense in response to this ominous prospect. Akechi Goro's eyes darted from person to person. None of them seemed willing to argue with her, because nobody could deny that the possibility of betrayal was very real.   
  
As he struggled to figure out what he could say to defuse the situation, Kurusu Akira, who had scarcely made a sound during the entire debate, finally spoke up. "... I guess that's a risk we will have to take."  
  
It took some time for the words to sink in. At last, it seemed everybody registered them, for the entire group turned to face him in unison.  
  
"Are you sure about this, Joker...?" Morgana asked hesitantly.  
  
"If you are alright with it, then I will be as well." Kitagawa said, although the hint of wariness flashing in his eyes suggested he wasn't so sure of himself.  
  
Their discussion continued for a short while until it eventually died down, leaving a long silence behind. It appeared the group had reached some sort of agreement. Much to Akechi Goro's surprise, it was Niijima, and not Kurusu Akira, who spoke up.  
  
"Let me make it clear that none of us are trusting you, or forgiving you for that matter. I suppose you could say we are simply giving you a second chance. A last chance, actually." she clarified, but Akechi Goro had already figured that out. "If we notice anything suspicious about you, we won't hesitate to kick you out immediately. The same goes if you slow us down. Also, when all of this is over... you will have to answer for everything you did."  
  
"... Alright." Akechi Goro simply replied. He figured he should add "thank you", but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud.  
  
"Nobody has any objections, right?" she asked in an authoritative tone of voice as she turned around toward the group, her gaze lingering on Sakamoto and Sakura. They merely shrugged, in a "don't blame me if anything bad happens" way.  
  
But the redhead suddenly turned to address Akechi Goro directly. "I guess you're back to being Crow, huh. Don't get me wrong, I don't think of you as part of our team. It's just that Crow is faster to pronounce than A-ke-chi." she said, her hands forming what was a poor attempt at an "A", a "K" and a "C" as she stressed each syllable of his name.  
  
He was about to reply when a hand suddenly reached out toward him, catching him off-guard. It was a red, gloved hand – Joker's hand.  
  
"... Let's go." the black-haired boy said without smiling.  
  
Akechi Goro stared at him – at the person who had been his worst enemy, and who was now his dearest friend. Kurusu Akira probably had no idea how high his rank was inside of the brown-haired boy's mind. And now, despite the hundreds of reasons for him to reject the one that had nearly killed him, he had accepted him instead... just like he had accepted him less than one hour ago, back there in Shibuya.  
  
The teenager extended a somewhat trembling arm and allowed Joker to lift him up. He tried to avert his gaze but he couldn't, transfixed by the person standing before him.  
  
"Think you'll be alright?" the black-haired boy asked in concern, and as if on cue, Akechi Goro became painfully aware of the ache in his head again.  
  
"I'll be fine... don't worry about me." he assured, but the way he winced at the uncomfortable sensation betrayed his words. "It's just... a headache."  
  
"... Can someone heal him? Mona? Queen?" Joker immediately requested, and Akechi Goro had scarcely time to blink than his pain was gone. His eyes widened as he turned to face Mona, a satisfied smile spreading on the cat's face.  
  
"Come on, let's get moving already!" Panther suddenly chirped, and a murmur of agreement followed her demand. The group immediately left the area, determined to finally reach and put an end to Shidou.  
  
The engine room was now silent. It wasn't empty, however, for a silhouette was hidden in the shadows. A figure that looked exactly like Akechi Goro, save for his blank, empty eyes. The gun held tight in his left hand felt extremely light, like a toy, but it wasn't a toy that would take Akechi Goro's life. The entity couldn't claim he wasn't surprised at this turn of events – he definitely hadn't expected the brown-haired boy to ignore the orders given to him and ask the group to take him back. The captain wouldn't be happy about this... and this knowledge caused him to let out a loud, barely human laugh. Akechi Goro probably considered himself extremely lucky to have been allowed to join them, and his laughter only grew more intense in response to this display of childish naivety. Yes, he thought, Akechi Goro probably felt like he was the luckiest person in the world... and the entity was eager to crush whatever hope had managed to bloom inside his heart. This is why he had contented himself with silently observing the scene instead of interrupting it. The blow would be all the sweeter, and he knew the captain would appreciate his zealousness.  
  
His laughter resonated inside the room for what seemed like a very long time, but eventually, it quieted down. The smile on the impostor's lips was now gone. His face was flat and cold, devoid of any emotion. He was back to being what Akechi Goro used to be.   
  
Even so, he was excited. His objective decided, he vanished in the darkness, leaving behind an empty room.  
  
Meanwhile, two floors above the engine room, Crow smiled, oblivious to the fate that awaited him. Joker was glancing at him every now and then. He couldn't tell whether it was in wariness or concern, but he didn't particularly care – he was simply glad he could be by his side again, even if he felt like he didn't belong among the group. Still, he tried his best not to make them regret their decision by fighting as efficiently as possible. It was with a light heart that he lunged at a particularly nasty Shadow, Fox, Noir and Joker quickly following suit. For some reason, while he knew he had failed to earn the Phantom Thieves' trust, he was certain everything was still going to turn out fine. And yet, he couldn't have been more wrong, because Akechi Goro was too unlucky.


	17. Case 16 - FAILURE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I'm sorry for being so late. It took me much longer than usual to write this chapter because I underestimated its length... very badly. Those past two weeks were also extremely busy, actually the busiest of the year so far, and so I couldn't write as much as I wanted... I'm very sorry about that. I'll try to be more organized next time! Oh and also, this delay doesn't change anything in my schedule. I am still planning to publish the next chapter on the 16th!

"Careful guys, you've been ambushed! Joker, I think Fox hasn't completely recovered from the previous fight, he should switch with somebody else! Noir, Crow, cover them!"  
  
Navi's orders, forceful though they had been, were obeyed without a second thought. In the blink of an eye, Joker escorted Fox from the battlefield while Noir and Crow fiercely warded off all the blows coming at them. Skull quickly took Fox's place and no sooner had he finished casting his strongest lightning spell than all the Shadows were gone, killed on the spot.  
  
"Great job! You did it!" Navi cheered from inside her Persona, her voice so amplified it sounded as though she were addressing a stadium.  
  
Joker's lips curled into a soft smile intended for his team. "Good job, guys."  
  
"Heh, that was a piece of cake." Skull exulted, clearly proud of himself.   
  
"Let's keep it up and we will reach Shidou in no time!" Noir said in her cheerful voice. She cast a glance at Crow and gave him a smile. He answered with a smile of his own.  
  
And for once, it wasn't a forced smile that showed on his face, but an entirely genuine one. Akechi Goro couldn't remember the last time his heart had felt this light. While they didn't forgive any of his actions, the Phantom Thieves had still been merciful enough to treat him not like their enemy, but like their equal... and for that, he was grateful. It was a foreign, cherishable joy that was filling his heart, and he promised himself not to ever forget it.  
  
"Don't let this victory get to your heads, everyone." Mona advised, his eyes serious. "Now that Shidou knows we're coming for him, the Shadows are more vigilant than ever. They won't let us reach the treasure that easily."  
  
And true to the cat's words, the next fight proved itself to be quite the challenge – and it was with this battle that Akechi Goro's peace of mind began to shatter.  
  
"Skull? Skull, are you okay?" Noir inquired, her expression showing her concern even more plainly than her words.   
  
Skull looked over his shoulder at her, but all she got for an answer was silence. He had been hit by a strange spell, and judging from his disturbingly glazed eyes, it wasn't the good kind. He slowly turned around, facing Joker, Noir, and Crow. A split second later, he leapt toward the brown-haired boy, his heavy pipe held high in the air.  
  
"Huh? What are you doing?" Crow hastily asked as he jumped backward, barely avoiding the hit. Skull didn't answer and launched himself at the young man in white again, swinging his pipe around frantically, desperate to have it connect with his target's head. All Crow could do was dodge, but the longer it went on, the wearier – and more annoyed – he felt.  
  
Joker and Noir could only throw them a worried glance, too busy fighting the Shadows that were still coming at them in the meantime. The blond-haired boy charged again, raising his pipe above his head, and Crow knew this hit would likely be strong enough to shatter his skull if it were to land.  
  
"Dammit, stop it already! Robin Hood!" he shouted, and the Persona answered his call at once, standing tall before him not unlike an impenetrable wall. Skull crashed into the entity and slumped backward, only to be immediately blown away as Robin Hood cast a repelling spell at him. The blond-haired boy landed about thirty feet away on the ground and weakly sat up straight, obviously dazed, although Crow had made sure to keep the intensity of his spell in check.  
  
Navi didn't seem pleased with this turn of events. Her angry voice resonated loudly above the young man in white. "What do you think you're doing, Crow?! Skull's a teammate!"  
  
"Well he wasn't doing a very good job once he started attacking me, now was he?" he shot back, outraged at her glaring lack of impartiality. "He's being confused, Navi! Surely you noticed, didn't you?"  
  
Crow could hear the redhead gasp for air as she prepared herself to retort in much the same tone of voice, but Joker stepped in, cutting their argument short. "That's enough. Queen will take a look at Skull. Crow, I think those Shadows are weak to light, can you finish them off?"  
  
The young man nodded, his anger quickly forgotten in favor of zealousness. His spell made short work of the remaining Shadows, causing the entire team to breathe a collective sigh of relief.  
  
Meanwhile, Queen had knelt down beside Skull, busy casting a healing spell on him which proved itself to be effective – it brought him back to his senses nearly at once.   
  
"Ow... hey, what happened?" he asked in confusion while rubbing his lower back.  
  
Queen stood up and her eyes lingered on Crow, who didn't fail to notice the hint of reproach reflected in their depths. Her expression softened a little, however – she probably figured she could let him slide just this once. "You were hit by a spell and a Shadow knocked you to the ground. That's it."  
  
"Huh... alright." Skull mumbled distractedly as he climbed unsteadily to his feet. Seconds later, he was back to his fiery self. "Anyway, let's move on!"  
  
Everyone nodded but, as the group started walking away, somebody laid their hand on Crow's shoulder, prompting him to turn around and meet Joker's piercing gaze.  
  
"Crow." he simply said, his expression difficult to decipher.  
  
The young man frowned, aware Joker was about to reproach him for the way he had dealt with Skull. Guilt but also irritation took over his mind in reaction – it wasn't like he had harmed Skull out of mere amusement.   
  
"Look, about what just happened–" he began, not really sure what the best approach would be, but Joker cut him off.  
  
"Are you alright? You didn't get hit, did you?"  
  
The brown-haired boy blinked, caught by surprise. "Uh, no, I didn't, but–"  
  
"That's good then." Joker said, relief plain in his voice.  
  
Crow looked at him for a moment before averting his gaze, embarrassed at this display of concern that he believed was unnecessary. Even so, and no matter how hard he tried to suppress it, a tiny smile appeared on his face. He seriously had to get used to the fact that Kurusu Akira wouldn't stop being unpredictable anytime soon...  
  
A silence fell over them, much longer than expected. At last, he risked a glance at Joker again, only to realize the black-haired boy was staring intently at him. Crow could only blink in confusion.  
  
"You look much better than earlier." Joker eventually said, and it took a few seconds for the teenager to understand what he was talking about. "I didn't expect you to tumble down like that... for a moment, I thought you were injured."  
  
"Ah, um, no, I just felt dizzy all of a sudden, that's all..." Crow replied clumsily, doing his best to hide his increasing discomfort. It didn't work as much as he hoped.  
  
Akechi Goro was at a loss. Joker's concern had been so unexpected it caught him off-guard, just like a student sleeping during class and having a rude awakening upon being yelled at. And unlike his fans, who claimed their world would stop turning if he were to suffer a paper cut, he knew Joker was genuinely worried about him. This was a very new experience for him, and while he was grateful, he also disliked not knowing how to handle it.  
  
As if to save him from his predicament, somebody called out to them, impatience plain as day in their voice.  
  
"What are you two doing? Come here already!" Panther chided, her hands resting on her hips in a manner reminiscent of a disapproving mother.  
  
The two boys looked at each other. Both of them couldn't help but smile a sheepish grin.  
  
"We're here, we're here." Joker said soothingly as he and Crow approached Panther and the rest of the group. Moments later, they were in the middle of yet another battle, but unlike before, Crow's heart wasn't much in it. The shot of adrenaline spreading through his veins in response to meeting the Phantom Thieves in the engine room had caused him to forget it, but Joker's concern had reopened something inside his mind, and the unease that had previously taken over Akechi Goro hit him like a tidal wave again.  
  
_Why did I feel so dizzy when I got here...? It wasn't that bad the first time..._  
  
His concern was legitimate. He couldn't pretend the sensation of traveling in time had ever been pleasant, but it used to be bearable enough. It wasn't the case anymore, though – Akechi Goro didn't forget how nauseous he had felt, much more than usual, when the ATN had sent him back to that day of February which he had spent with Niijima Sae. It was really no big deal compared to the dizziness he just experienced, however. It was now obvious that his discomfort increased a bit more each time he used the Another Time Navi... but why?  
  
The teenager felt his stomach tense. Some beginnings of answers stormed in his brain, but none of them sounded good.   
  
"Aaah! It's trying to take me down!"  
  
Crow jumped, startled by the sudden shriek coming from above him. He looked up to see Necronomicon, Navi's Persona, doing its best to dodge whatever spells were coming at it. For some reason, the Shadow lashing out at her only focused on the five spheres protruding from under her Persona, as if desperate to pop them like a balloon.  
  
"What is it doing? Why is it attacking Navi?" Crow yelled to no one in particular as he jumped back just in time to avoid a blow that would have likely killed him on the spot otherwise.  
  
"I don't know, but we have to protect her!" Joker shouted back, launching himself at the Shadow before Navi could fall prey to it. "The spheres under her Persona are its weak points, and if they are all destroyed, it would destroy Necronomicon itself! And since Navi is inside it..."  
  
He didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was crystal clear.  
  
"Huh? I didn't know that..." Crow muttered as he reached for his sword and stabbed another Shadow that had set Joker as its target. The black-haired boy gave him a grateful smile and dealt the finishing blow.  
  
The danger finally averted, Necronomicon stabilized in the air, now hovering over the team like usual. The sigh Navi let out indicated nothing else so much as plain relief.  
  
"Phew... thanks, guys. That was close." she said in a somewhat shaky voice, but Akechi Goro barely heard her – no sooner was the battle over than his thoughts had engrossed him again.  
  
_Why is it getting worse...?_  
  
Deep down, he felt as though he already knew the answer. It was probably because using the Another Time Navi was hazardous to his health, and the more he used it, the stronger the repercussions were. This seemed to be the most likely explanation. It was just like smoking cigarettes – the more one smoked, the more they would expose themselves to its risks.  
  
Perhaps he would actually faint the next time he would press the ATN icon, if not worse. Perhaps his body was deteriorating from the inside with every single one of his jumps in time. Perhaps each time he was using the application, it was bringing him one step closer to the grave.  
  
_No, there's no way that's it_ , Akechi Goro thought. If this terrifying prospect was true, S would have warned him about it.  
  
But even as he tried to reassure himself, another, even harsher realization dawned on him. S had told him he would eventually get used to the uncomfortable sensation of traveling in time. Yet, he never did – instead, he was having more and more trouble enduring it. It didn't take a genius to figure out S had lied to him. That much was clear.  
  
"Look out, four Shadows are coming at you!" Navi shouted, snapping Crow out of his thoughts yet again. Four Shadows were indeed surrounding them all, apparently more resolute than ever to stop them from reaching Shidou. The situation was all the more dangerous than earlier, for they were currently navigating through a narrow hallway.  
  
The teenager moved mechanically, barely aware of what his body was doing anymore. It took him a moment to register the knot in his throat.  
  
S had lied to him. S had tricked him into using the ATN, even though they had to be aware it would take a toll on him, both mentally and physically. It wasn't difficult to understand why they had omitted this detail from their explanation – because it wouldn't have been convenient for them if Akechi Goro had caught wind of it. They probably figured he would never have used the application if he knew how dangerous it was, and it seemed this was a prospect S wanted to avoid at all costs.  
  
As to why they seemed so desperate to have him use the application... Akechi Goro could only speculate, although he wasn't sure he really wanted to see where his train of thought would lead him. S had told him their only desire was for the world to be set free from the giant Palace, but the young man was beginning to suspect their intentions might not be so honorable. Perhaps it was something else that motivated them... something that was apparently worth making Akechi Goro their puppet.  
  
_"Why does it matter so much if I am?! Nobody gives a shit about me!"_  
  
_"I do."_  
  
At this memory, Akechi Goro couldn't prevent himself from smiling a bitter smile. Those words now sounded strangely hollow and fake. Perhaps this was yet another lie.  
  
A sharp pain pierced his chest. It felt as though somebody had stabbed him right in the heart.  
He tried to relax, but to no avail. He knew it was hypocritical of him, what with being two-faced himself... but realizing S might actually not be an ally at all, in spite of their claim to the contrary, was practically a betrayal. No matter how mysterious they were, no matter how cryptic they were, Akechi Goro couldn't pretend he didn't get attached to S. After all, they had managed to relieve some of the extreme loneliness eating away at him, and this was more than he could have ever hoped for. And furthermore... he did appreciate being told they cared about him, no matter how embarrassing it was to admit. But deep down, he knew that his  _dependence_ to S was probably the reason they had been able to earn his trust so easily, and as a result manipulate him into doing whatever they wanted.  
  
The young man gritted his teeth, his features distorted by shame. He had really been a fool, once again.  
  
"Crow, watch out!"  
  
The sudden yell coming from Noir brought the teenager back to reality. Before he had time to blink, she rushed toward him and shoved him out of the way, with much more strength than he had expected from her. His balance lost, Crow fell to the floor with a small yelp of surprise.   
  
Just as he was beginning to wonder what had motivated Noir to knock him down, it happened.  
  
A wave of extreme heat brushed against his ear, so hot he could feel the side of his body growing warm. Crow just stared, confused, until his brain eventually made the connection – a Shadow had cast a spell at him, and hadn't it been for Noir, he would have been hit head-on by a ray of burning fire, leaving behind a charred corpse. He didn't immediately realize how quick his breathing had gotten, and Noir wasn't in a much better state – she had crumpled to the floor, a few feet away from him, and was panting hard as well. He swallowed with difficulty upon noticing one of her sleeves had been partially burnt off. It was a miracle the skin underneath looked unscathed.  
Queen and Panther immediately rushed to her side, followed soon afterwards by Navi who jumped out of Necronomicon, while Fox and Skull lunged at the Shadow that had almost taken Noir's precious life.  
  
"A-Ah... thank, thank you, Noir..." Crow stammered, still in shock and unable to steady his breathing. "Are you... alright?"  
  
"Y-Yes... I am..." she assured, but the way her voice shook betrayed her.  
  
A long, heavy silence fell on them. All the Shadows had now been dealt with and the entire group gathered around Noir, helping her to her feet. Crow climbed unsteadily to his own, trying to stop his legs from shaking so much, but it didn't do much good. Giving up on regaining some of his composure, he glanced at the Phantom Thieves, only to be greeted by the chilling gaze of many eyes upon him. Suddenly, the teenager's heart began to race in his chest.  
  
At last, somebody broke the silence. Crow knew that in that moment, Queen was speaking on behalf of the entire team. "... You didn't do that on purpose, did you?"  
  
"What?!" he barked, unable to believe what he just heard.  
  
"I said, you didn't do that on purpose, did you?"  
  
Queen's voice was flat and cold. Her eyes were little more than slits of distrust.  
  
"O-Of course I didn't! I was... I was just distracted, and–"  
  
"And it almost cost Noir's life." Fox cut off, a harsh note in his voice that was disturbingly uncharacteristic of him. "I hope this isn't what you were trying to achieve..."  
  
A murmur of agreement rose from the group. Everyone seemed to share Queen and Fox's suspicion. Only Noir's expression was different from the others – rather than wary, she looked sad instead, probably because she was nearly burned to death... or perhaps because she felt betrayed by Crow.  
  
"I-I'm telling you, I was just lost in thought! I wasn't trying to have Noir killed!" he cried out as he looked around frantically, desperate for someone to step in and take his side. Nobody moved to do so. They all just stared at him, their eyes hard and their faces tight.  
  
Among the anguish working its way inexorably inside his mind, a small jolt of irritation managed to pierce through. Years of lying had spared him the trouble of finding out that not being believed despite telling the truth was definitely not a pleasant feeling. He couldn't prevent himself from frowning at them, resenting them for refusing to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, who would be crazy enough to expose themselves to such great danger only with the hope that somebody would take the hit for them instead?  
  
Crow clenched his fists and opened his mouth to defend himself again, determined to make them understand he was being honest, but Panther beat him to the punch. "Even if you're not lying, it doesn't change the fact that Noir almost died."  
  
The young man swallowed the urge to remind her he almost died as well – he knew acting brash wouldn't help his case. Deep down, he was wondering how the Phantom Thieves would have reacted if his and Noir's position had been switched. Something told him they wouldn't have cared as much.  
  
The entire group glanced at Joker, who returned their gaze. With a nod, which Crow swore looked resigned, he turned to address him directly. "... Sorry, Akechi, but I think that... it would be better for everyone if you left the group."  
  
Crow couldn't pretend he was especially surprised to hear those words. What he hadn't expected, however, was how quickly he had been demoted from _Crow to Akechi_ , and he was unable to prevent a lump from forming in his throat in reaction. He wasn't sure if Joker had done it consciously or not, but by calling him by his real name instead of his code name, he had made it clear Akechi Goro didn't belong among them anymore.  
  
"... I understand. I'm sorry for being so careless." he eventually muttered, his voice little above a whisper.   
  
This was all he could say. He knew kicking and screaming would get him nowhere. The Phantom Thieves had thrown him out, and no amount of negotiation would change that – it wasn't like he hadn't been warned beforehand. His head drooped onto his chest, causing his bangs to conceal his face. It was difficult to tell what sort of expression his features were showing.  
  
Joker spoke again, and he reluctantly looked up at him. He didn't fail to notice how the black-haired boy's voice had shifted to a softer, more reassuring tone. "... Leave Shidou to us. We will take care of him, we promise."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't respond. He just stared at him, his eyes blank and his body still. Without a word, the group turned around and walked away from the teenager, until they eventually disappeared around the corner of the hallway. Joker was bringing up the rear, but as he cast one final glance at the brown-haired boy, his eyebrows shot up. Akechi Goro was gone.  
  
Mere inertia carried the teenager through the ship. He didn't know where he was going, and he didn't particularly care. His mind was entirely blank, as if he had lost the ability to think. He could register, barely, the presence of many people surrounding him – Shidou's guests. Yet, even among the crowd, Akechi Goro felt completely and hopelessly alone.  
  
Eventually, his legs brought him to a safe room. Without being entirely sure why, he pushed the door open, and was greeted by a luxurious, first-class cabin. Slowly, mechanically, he approached the large sofa in the middle of the living room, and lay down.  
  
Akechi Goro tried to think through the brain fog. He knew he had been naive to believe everything would turn out fine – clearly, this was a luxury he didn't deserve, and it seemed a superior force was determined to remind him of that. He figured he now had no choice but to give up on having Shidou reformed. It wasn't even like he wanted to reform him that much – even back then in the engine room, when he was certain he was about to die, he had only asked the Phantom Thieves to reform his father as a last resort after all. What he really wanted was simply to confront him, but... he also wanted to be by the Phantom Thieves' side... by _Joker's_ side... and while he was grateful for the short time they just spent together, it also left him yearning for more, because for once, Akechi Goro had been happy, and this small happiness had now been taken away from him.  
  
A long, weary sigh escaped his lips as he remembered the beaming smile Kurusu Akira had given him upon accepting his present, less than one hour ago in the crowded crossroad of Shibuya. Akechi Goro had truly meant it when he had told him he was certain they would meet again very soon, and the ATN had proven him right. And at first, he was glad, he really was... and he would still be, were it not for the fact Kurusu Akira had made it clear he didn't belong among them. The young man already knew, of course, but having it spat in his face still stung nonetheless. But what hurt even more, what made him feel so miserable, was that Kurusu Akira forgot he had told him the complete opposite one jump in time ago – that he was one of them. This precious memory had now turned to something sour, something Akechi Goro was desperate to get rid of.  
  
His heart clenched in his chest. He would have given his right arm if it meant having Kurusu Akira remember their encounter in Shibuya, even if it technically didn't happen yet. If he hadn't forgotten, perhaps he would have realized the brown-haired boy hadn't planned to endanger any of them. Perhaps he would have insisted on keeping him within their team. Yes, Akechi Goro thought, perhaps Kurusu Akira would have actually treated him like a friend... because even if the black-haired boy was currently unaware of it, Akechi Goro did consider him a friend. The friend he met too late.  
  
The young man let out yet another long sigh. His heart heavy with resignation, he tried to clear his mind and closed his eyes, aware he had now nothing better to do than to wait for the hour to elapse and the ATN to bring him back. But then, as he felt himself slowly drifting away, a loud crashing noise startled him awake. He immediately sat up straight and looked frantically around him, his heart pounding in his chest, only to relax nearly at once – a vase of flowers, previously sitting on a table nearby, had fallen to the floor. It struck him as odd, however, that the vase apparently fell on its own, but he figured it wasn't worth worrying about.  
  
He tried to go back to sleep, but a sudden, growing discomfort took over his mind, and he slowly opened his eyes again. For some reason, he had the disturbing feeling somebody was watching him. Yet, he was all alone.  
  
Or at least, that's what he thought.  
  
"What are you doing here? Why aren't you with them?"  
  
Akechi Goro gasped and immediately leapt to his feet, his heart racing so fast it felt like it was about to implode. A familiar face greeted him from behind the sofa, but he couldn't pretend he was especially happy to see it.  
  
"Ah, no need to answer that. I already know. They kicked you out, didn't they?" the fake Akechi said, his voice a cold monotone.   
  
The young man stayed silent, unable to tear his gaze away from him. His mind was struggling to understand what was going on. Why was his impostor here...?  
  
"It is for the best, you know. What were you hoping to accomplish by going back to them? You know this isn't what the captain would have wanted."  
  
The entity's voice was calm and slow. He stared right into Akechi Goro's eyes as he spoke again. "Why didn't you just get rid of them, like the captain asked you to? I am sure it would have made him happy. He was planning to give you a great reward afterwards, you know."  
  
Akechi Goro's heartbeat steadied. He stared back, his eyes now devoid of emotion. In that moment, his face looked like a perfect reflection of the impostor's own. "No... he wasn't. He was planning to have me killed. That's what you told me last time."  
  
He had intended to keep this last statement to himself, but the words had escaped his throat before he could stop them. He was long past caring, however.  
  
For the first time, something other than utter emptiness showed in the double's eyes – confusion, if only a little. The shadow of a smile then appeared on his lips and he skirted around the sofa to sit almost nonchalantly in the armchair beside it. Akechi Goro, for his part, didn't follow his example. He just stood there and watched him, a hand hovering over his gun, although something told him he wouldn't need to use it. The entity didn't seem to have any malicious intent... at least for now.  
  
"... Fine. You're right, he was planning to have you killed as soon as he would become Prime Minister." the entity admitted, his voice sounding almost bored. "Still, don't you think you should go back to him anyway? I am sure he would be glad to have you by his side again."  
  
Akechi Goro gave him a blank stare, refusing to fall for such an obvious lie. "... I don't know why you are being so pushy, but you are wasting your time. I will never go back to him."  
  
"... Really now." the other replied in disbelief as he crossed his legs. "I will be honest, I didn't expect that... I thought you wanted him to be proud of you."  
  
The young man grew tense, figuring out very quickly he didn't like where this conversation was going. The double continued. "I mean, didn't you want his approval? Didn't you want to be called Shidou Goro?"  
  
A silence filled the room, so long it felt like it lasted an eternity.  
  
"... No. Akechi's fine." the teenager eventually replied, his voice extremely low.  
  
"Ah, I see." the double nodded, his sight lingering on the capital "A" engraved on Akechi Goro's belt buckle. "Now that you found out you mean nothing to Daddy, you are desperately clinging to the memory of Mommy instead, right, _Akechi?"_  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide, but the other wasn't done just yet. "You can't fool me. It's obvious that you still want the captain to acknowledge you. He was very grateful for that, you know... after all, you made it so easy for him to manipulate you."  
  
A smirk appeared on the impostor's lips, growing wider as he noticed the confusion on Akechi Goro's features. "Did you really think the captain wouldn't notice the stupid look on your face every time he praised you? Did you really think he wouldn't realize a mere compliment or two would be enough to make you his faithful little dog?"  
  
It seemed as though he wanted to add something else, but he never got the opportunity to do so. In the blink of an eye, he found himself being forcefully pulled to his feet and shoved toward the middle of the room. His eyes went wide as Akechi Goro's fist collided with his jaw, causing him to stumble backward a few steps, visibly stunned.  
  
It took him several seconds to recover. A frown of annoyance appeared on his face and he spat almost arrogantly onto the floor a mixture of saliva and blood.  
  
"Hey... that really hurt, you bastard..." he grumbled, his voice still eerily calm despite it all. "... Huh?"  
  
Without warning, his eyebrows shot up. Akechi Goro stared, surprised at this sudden change in his attitude, but what the entity did next was just about the last thing he had expected him to do – he bursted into laughter. The sound filling the room didn't feel like it belonged there.  
  
His laugh echoed around them for a very long time. Akechi Goro didn't bother asking him what was so funny – he knew he would find out soon enough, and as expected, the double clarified. "Heh, that's right... Yeah, I guess you really are a bastard... in all the senses of the word..."  
  
While his laughter had quieted down a bit, his shoulders were still shaking. It couldn't have been more obvious that he was pleased with his sense of humor.  
Akechi Goro, for his part, didn't feel so much like laughing. The double was trying to provoke him, and it was working. He gritted his teeth and let out a noise that sounded disturbingly like a growl. This only seemed to amuse the other even more.  
  
At long last, the smirk on the impostor's lips vanished. His voice was back to being cold and flat. "... Anyway, are you sure you don't want to go back to the captain? Who knows, maybe he will finally acknowledge you as his son–"  
  
A strangled sound coming from his own throat interrupted him, and only grew louder as Akechi Goro tightened his vise-like grip around his neck. His facial features, twisted by pure hatred, currently looked just as inhuman as his impostor's own face.  
  
"Shut up... shut up already..." he snarled, squeezing the other's throat as hard as he could, like he wanted to snap his neck rather than merely choke him to death.  
  
The impostor had no choice but to comply, although his forced silence didn't sap his desire to live – if anything, it only fueled it. He squirmed and struggled like a wild animal, desperate for air. Small ragged gasps managed to escape his throat as his own hands wrapped around Akechi Goro's wrists in a feeble attempt at making him loosen his grip, but it was far too feeble, and far too late. After an eternity that really lasted a matter of seconds, the entity passed away, and his assailant let go of him. The corpse crumpled to the floor like a rag doll and eventually vanished into thin air, leaving an exhausted Akechi Goro alone in the room, panting like he had just run dozens of miles.  
  
"Yes, that's right... that's the person the captain wants you to be."  
  
Those familiar words coming from behind him hit Akechi Goro like a whiplash. Turning around so fast he thought he would collapse, he saw his double looking at him, a very ugly smile spreading on his face.  
  
"Why are you... still here..." Akechi Goro asked in astonishment, and in dread as well.  
  
"Ah, yes, I guess I didn't tell you. Kill me, and someone else will replace me. You know I am disposable." the other explained in an almost bored tone of voice, unaware he had already said those words a very long time ago. "Let me pay you back now."  
  
And by the time Akechi Goro realized what he was doing, the impostor had already pounced, knocking him to the ground and keeping him pinned there. His hands wrapped around the neck of his prey, but he didn't squeeze just yet.  
Akechi Goro didn't struggle. He didn't even seem to register the hands gripping his throat.  
  
"Hey... do you know why they got rid of you?" the double asked, but the other stayed stubbornly silent, reluctant to think about the Phantom Thieves again. His assailant would have none of it. "No answer, huh. Well, I'll tell you."  
  
The entity bent over a bit, bringing his face closer to the real teenager's – as close as Akechi Goro's pointy mask allowed him to.  
  
"... Because you're a pathetic, brainless little murderer."  
  
The young man didn't respond immediately. His eyes were entirely blank. Slowly, he reached for his sword, which was actually only a mere hilt right now, and brought it right under the impostor's stomach. The entity blinked once, but Akechi Goro didn't. His two hands tightened their grip around the hilt.  
  
"You're right... that's what I am." he simply said. A split second later, a blade made out of bright, blue light extended from the hilt in a flash, piercing violently through the double's body as easily as sliding a knife into melted butter. A sickening sucking noise echoed through the room as Akechi Goro very slowly, very carefully removed his sword from the other's flesh.  
  
The impostor didn't react in a particularly remarkable way. He merely parted his lips in surprise, like he wasn't sure what just happened. Blood quickly spread around his wound, staining his blazer red, and more trickled down his mouth. Akechi Goro could feel some droplets falling on his face.  
  
Finally, the last remnants of the entity's strength left him and he crumpled on the teenager, who didn't try to push the body away. He just lay there, entirely silent and motionless, barely aware of the weight pressing down on him, until the figure vanished into thin air again. Almost absent-mindedly, he looked down at his own stomach. His white clothes were now stained red, drenched in the blood the impostor had left behind. He didn't care much about it.  
  
"Ah... I didn't expect that." he heard the double say somewhere above him.  
  
Akechi Goro didn't bother standing up. He just remained there on the carpeted floor, like he had lost the will to even move. Were it not for the slow rising and falling of his chest, it would have been easy to think he was dead.  
  
The impostor approached him, his feet inches away from the real teenager's head. Akechi Goro looked up distractedly. His eyes lingered on his double's face, but it felt as though he was seeing right through it, rather than focusing on it. There was something a bit odd about watching his own face from such a low angle, he thought absent-mindedly.  
  
Suddenly, he found himself being held at gunpoint. His composure remained intact.  
  
"What do you think will happen if I kill you right now?" the assailant asked slowly, his voice little more than a whisper.  
  
"... I'll die." Akechi Goro answered mechanically, now staring at the ceiling without quite seeing it.  
  
"Heh... that's right." the other replied with a quiet chuckle. "But what will happen afterwards, once you're dead?"  
  
Akechi Goro's silence didn't seem to faze him. He answered his own question himself. "... Nothing will happen. You'll be dead, and the world will keep on turning, without you. That's how little you matter to the world."  
  
The entity's left hand never shook while he aimed his gun at his target. "Isn't that funny? You tried so hard to be loved by people, needed by them... matter to them, so much that you committed the most unforgivable sin of all... murder. And in the end, all this hard work turned out to be a waste. It accomplished nothing."  
  
The young man just stared. He heard every single word, but it was unclear whether he was understanding them or not.  
  
"And to think you believed being a murderer would help you become happy in the long run... do you have any idea how stupid that is?"  
  
Akechi Goro avoided answering the question.  
  
"... Why are you pointing your gun at me if you are not planning to use it?" he asked after a short silence. "If you really wanted to kill me, you would have done so by now."  
  
"... How sharp." the double complimented, although it was difficult to tell if he was genuinely impressed. Slowly, he put his weapon away. "I just wanted to toy with you a bit."  
  
A silence followed his statement, but he didn't take long to break it. "... Why didn't you kill them? Why did you ask them to take you back?"  
  
"... Because I felt like it." Akechi Goro laconically answered.   
  
The double kept quiet for a while, pondering those words. At last, he spoke. "... You probably wouldn't have been able to kill them anyway. That's what the captain believed, at least."  
  
"... What do you mean?" the young man inquired, his eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly.  
  
"Are you sure you want to know?" the other asked innocently, an extremely cheerful smile appearing on his lips. The sight was wrong.  
  
Akechi Goro stayed silent, settling for a piercing stare instead. The double's smile widened. "I'll tell you then. The captain wanted you to get rid of them, you already know that... but deep down, he was secretly hoping they would kill you instead."  
  
"... What?"  
  
Akechi Goro's voice had been barely audible. He wasn't sure the other had even heard him.  
  
"After all, it would have been convenient for the captain if they had killed you." the impostor continued. "It would have spared him the trouble of dealing with you himself."  
  
Almost against his will, Akechi Goro smiled a tiny, twisted smile. He couldn't pretend he was especially surprised to hear that.  
  
"Of course, he didn't discard the possibility that you would succeed in getting rid of them. If this happened, he would have had no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But there was yet another possible outcome..."  
  
The entity's expression changed, but it was difficult to tell in what way. His eyes were empty and yet, Akechi Goro swore he saw something flash in their depths. "The possibility that they would defeat you, but would choose to spare your life... do you know what would have happened then?"  
  
Akechi Goro did. He had seen this possibility become reality before his very eyes, after all. "... You would have killed me."  
  
"... Yes, that's right. Because the captain has no use for the fallen."  
  
The impostor grew quiet, and silence filled the room. Then, without warning, he roared with laughter.   
  
"Isn't that funny?!" he chortled almost maniacally, his eyes those of someone who was no longer sane, or perhaps more accurately, who had never been sane in the first place. "No matter how the situation had turned out, the outcome would have always been the same! You would have died like a dog! Defeat them, and you would have been killed by the captain as a reward! Fail to get rid of them, and I would have killed you myself instead! And that's assuming they would have been stupid enough to spare your pathetic life!"  
  
The double's shoulders were shaking hard, and his features distorted by hilarity. It was a far cry from Akechi Goro's own face, which was grim and tight.  
  
"... And this end would have been a perfect match for you." the impostor eventually continued once his breathing steadied. "Are you familiar with the belief that the way you live determines the way you die?"  
  
For the first time since he lay down on the floor, Akechi Goro's face showed obvious emotion. His eyes opened wide, and his attention was now fully on his double.  
  
"I mean... you were born alone, you lived alone, and you were supposed to die alone. It fits, don't you think?"  
  
The impostor was now smiling what looked like a friendly smile. It didn't manage to fool the real teenager, however. "Yes, you could say that was your fate. But..."   
  
He interrupted himself. His smile vanished, and any trace of emotion in his eyes as well. "But then, you did something unexpected. A possibility the captain hadn't planned."   
  
Akechi Goro kept quiet. His eyes glanced down at his pocket – where his cell phone would be, if it hadn't vanished along with his school uniform upon dissolving into his regal outfit.  
  
"You got some nerve, defying fate." the other continued slowly, a note of threat in his voice. "I just hope you won't come to regret it..."  
  
With that ominous statement, he turned around to sit down on the sofa previously occupied by Akechi Goro, who eventually climbed to his feet and stared silently at him. It was difficult to tell what he was thinking in that moment.  
  
The impostor crossed his legs and stared back at him. "It's really funny, you know."  
  
Whatever he was going to say next, Akechi Goro knew it probably wouldn't be funny at all. He wasn't wrong. "Human beings are supposed to be free, aren't they? But you're not. From the very beginning, you were just a brainless little puppet, tricked into believing you had some semblance of free will. And what's so funny about it is that you didn't realize you were being manipulated, even though it was so obvious anyone with half a brain would have noticed. Some genius detective you are..."  
  
Without warning, a cackle full of insanity escaped his throat. It was so loud it sounded almost as though he were screaming. "This is your life, but you didn't even get to live it for yourself! All it is good for is to be used and used again by others! But you didn't notice, too busy drooling over this stupid happiness you were so desperate to experience after having your revenge!"  
  
Akechi Goro opened his mouth to counter, but no sound managed to come out. It was difficult to deny what was the indisputable truth.  
Meanwhile, the impostor's expression had reverted to its usual, emotionless state.  
  
"... That reminds me of a story. Care to hear it?" he asked, but Akechi Goro knew that no matter what his answer would be, he would hear the story anyway.  
  
As if he had read his mind, the double gave him a soft smile, pleased with his perceptiveness, and began to talk.  
  
The story was about a boy whose very existence was a disgrace. All he wanted was to be happy, and so he went to ask people how to experience happiness. Someone told him to keep his disgraceful origins a secret from the rest of the world, and so he did, but it didn't make him happy. Someone else told him to always do what was expected of him, and so he did, but it didn't make him happy either. Then, he met a man who told him something different.  
  
_"I will tell you how to experience happiness, but only if you do me a favor first."  
_  
The boy agreed, eager for his wish to come true. He followed the man's orders and killed somebody for the first time. But when he went to claim his reward, the man told him he couldn't ever be happy.  
  
"Do you know why?" the impostor asked Akechi Goro after a short pause, but he didn't give him time to ponder the question. "... Because murderers don't have the right to be happy. The moment they take someone's life, they lose this right."  
  
A long silence filled the room as he carefully studied Akechi Goro's face, looking for any trace of emotion, but to no avail. The young man's face remained eerily still.  
  
"So, what did you think of the story?" the double insisted, clearly disappointed at his lack of reaction.  
  
Akechi Goro said nothing, but the way he reached for his gun and aimed it right in the middle of the impostor's forehead was enough of an answer. The entity didn't take long to catch on. "Ah... I guess you didn't like it."  
  
Sure enough, the bullet piercing his brain confirmed his guess.  
  
His body slumped on the sofa. Akechi Goro just watched, his weapon still aimed at the corpse, until it vanished into thin air for the third time. Without a word, he turned around and made for the exit, his eyes empty and cold.  
  
"Where are you going?" the entity wondered as he fell into step beside the real teenager, his arms folded behind his back and his smile friendly.  
  
"... Get out of my face already." Akechi Goro spat, not bothering to pay him even a glance. He kept walking toward the door, his next destination unclear.  
  
The double opened his mouth to reply when suddenly, the entire ship shook. Both teenagers were thrown off-balance and stumbled, barely avoiding the floor.  
When at last, the tremors ceased, Akechi Goro glanced around, feeling strangely uneasy.  
  
"Ah... they must have reached him." the impostor said quietly as he gazed at the ceiling. "Looks like they are in trouble, though..."  
  
"What?!" Akechi Goro cried out as he spun around, grabbing the other by the collar. "How can you be so sure?!"  
  
"... Because I know everything that happens on this ship." the entity replied coldly.  
  
Suddenly, he was smirking.  
  
"... Maybe this is finally your time to shine. I mean... they need you, after all."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide, and the impostor knew he was about to win. "If you went and saved them all, they would have no choice but to admit they were wrong about you... they might even call you their friend, who knows? And saving them would make you a hero as well... wouldn't that be nice?"  
  
The young man let go of the other's collar. The double could see his hands were shaking.  
  
"... Still, I think you should consider your options carefully." he continued, his voice extremely slow and his face emotionless again. "If you returned to the captain's side instead of fighting him, you might not become a hero, but you might become Shidou Goro, like you always wanted..."  
  
The entity could see it. He could see the noose tightening around the real teenager's neck.  
This was way too easy.  
  
"So... what is it going to be? Akechi?... Or Shidou?" he whispered.  
  
"... Where are they." the young man asked abruptly, choosing to ignore the question.   
  
"... Probably inside the Chamber of Representatives. It isn't too far." he answered, and no sooner had he finished his sentence than the teenager spun around and grabbed hold of the door handle.  
  
Not bothering to look over his shoulder, he spoke. "... I told you. I am Akechi. Shidou's approval... it means nothing to me now."  
  
"... So that's your answer. I guess I am Shidou then."  
  
Shidou Goro nodded, seemingly pleased with the realization. "Since you have made your choice, let me give you a piece of advice."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't turn around, and waited until the other continued.  
  
"Prepare yourself for the worst."  
  
The young man felt a shot of uneasiness rushing through his veins, but he didn't respond. He was about to pull the door open when the other's voice called to him again. "Hey... how about we make a bet?"  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't see it from his position, but the entity's eyes were looking almost bright. "When you see what's waiting for you... you are going to wish I had killed you right here instead."  
  
The real teenager glanced over his shoulder at him, his eyes almost defiant. The impostor's lips curled into the faintest of smiles.  
  
"... Good luck. You'll need it." he said ominously before disappearing, leaving Akechi Goro alone in the room.  
  
Slowly, the young man's gaze returned to the door handle again. Only now did he realize his heart was beating slightly faster than usual. The story his double had shared with him swirled in his head, no matter how much he tried to clear it.  
  
Akechi Goro thought of himself as smart, but he knew a truly smart person wouldn't have set themselves up for a fall like he did. Being by the Phantom Thieves' side had helped him taste a little bit of the precious happiness he had spent years seeking out, but he now understood it was also that very happiness that led him to his downfall. Despair lurked in the shadows, patiently waiting for the perfect time to make its move. And finally, when Akechi Goro's cherished happiness had risen his spirits high enough, to the highest point they had ever been... it struck. Happiness had betrayed him.  
  
He could only blame himself, however. He had been foolish to get his hopes up – the fall wouldn't have been so hard if they had stayed at rock bottom. It seemed obvious to him now, but he had been too desperate, too eager to understand what happiness truly was, to realize it sooner. He knew fighting alongside the Phantom Thieves would have granted his wish, and this is why he had asked them to take him back. He didn't even begin to consider the possibility that he might come to regret this decision, but Akechi Goro couldn't fool himself any longer – he wished he had never asked them, or that the thieves had refused his request. It would have stung terribly, but it would have also preserved him from a much more evil pain. The pain of finally tasting happiness, only to be deprived of it nearly at once.  
  
The teenager chuckled – a short, bitter laugh. Perhaps his double was right. Perhaps murderers truly didn't have the right to be happy, and the moment they would have the nerve to experience happiness anyway, fate would exact its vicious retribution. It seemed a fitting punishment to have Akechi Goro betrayed by the very happiness he had desperately pursued. The irony would be almost funny, if it weren't so cruel.  
  
Even so, he no longer felt pain. The happiness filling his heart was gone, but so was the resigned misery he had experienced upon being rejected by the Phantom Thieves. The final exchange with his impostor had fueled something else inside his mind – apprehension. He could feel his stomach tense at the mere possibility the thieves might be in danger.  
  
Suddenly, the young man's eyes opened wide, and he hastily glanced over his shoulder to see... nothing. The room was completely empty, yet he swore he just heard a sinister chuckle coming from somewhere behind him... and he had a feeling it wasn't due to his imagination.  
  
Akechi Goro frowned, and faced the door again. He had been a fool to fall so easily for his double's lie, and it was a lie, that much was certain. After all, Kurusu Akira had confirmed they had successfully reformed Shidou, back then in Shibuya. There was no reason for history not to repeat itself. The impostor probably thought it funny to toy with him again and watch him succumb to the growing dread taking over him. Akechi Goro couldn't pretend he would be especially surprised if his guess was right. The double did have a very questionable sense of humor, after all.  
  
This thought, infuriating though it was, was also reassuring. This is why it struck the young man as strange that he didn't feel reassured at all. He tried to relax, but his heartbeat refused to steady, and he wasn't sure why.  
  
_The Chamber of Representatives, huh..._  
  
According to his impostor, it wasn't far. He figured it wouldn't hurt to check it out... just in case...  
  
Steeling himself, Akechi Goro left the room, and didn't take long to reach his destination. Two wide, golden gates stood before him, and the words "Representatives Chamber" could be read above them. Just like he suspected, they were not locked – he probably had the Phantom Thieves to thank for that. He pushed them open and a somewhat large but unremarkable room appeared behind them. Only the huge elevator facing the teenager managed to catch his eye. His path obviously mapped out, he called the elevator, which took some time to reach him, and stepped inside. There were only two buttons on the control panel – one for the floor he was currently at, and one for the top floor. He pushed the second button and the elevator began its ascent. A few moments later, the doors slid open.  
  
The room Akechi Goro found himself in was so vast and its architecture so peculiar it was difficult to believe he was still on a ship. It was a semi-circular and luxurious room, filled with hundreds of benches arranged in sloping tiers that surrounded what looked like a wide, ornate wooden pillar. There was something stifling about the atmosphere of this place, made all the more oppressive because of the low ceiling, so low Akechi Goro could easily touch it by merely extending his arm upward. For a moment, the young man wondered if the ceiling wouldn't get even lower and crush him, as though this entire room was actually a deadly trap.  
  
Chasing away this unpleasant thought from his mind, he swept his eyes across his surroundings again, and a sudden tinge of irritation prickled his nerves. His impostor was probably having the time of his life right now, laughing at Akechi Goro's credulity, for there was absolutely no one inside the room besides him – no Shidou, and no Phantom Thieves either.  
  
A sigh of dejection escaped his lips but, as he turned around with the intent to escape the overpowering atmosphere of the room, a roar rang out somewhere above him. He involuntarily gasped and jumped at the startling sound, his heart pounding frantically in his chest as a pressing question swirled inside his brain. Why the hell did this roar sound like it came from a _lion_...?  
  
Giving in to the curiosity eating away at him, he glanced around once more, looking for a way to go further up. His eyes stopped on the pillar sitting in the middle of the room. Driven by a sudden hunch taking over his brain, he walked down one of the alleys alongside the seats and approached it. There wasn't much to see around, except for a tiny, barely visible button hidden in the wall with a triangle on it. Without thinking, Akechi Goro pressed it and watched silently as his hunch was confirmed – what he was looking at wasn't a pillar so much as a concealed elevator. For some reason, he felt strangely uneasy all of a sudden, and swallowed hard. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he walked through the doors, and pressed the only button available.  
  
He wasn't sure why, but the higher the elevator brought him, the tighter the grip upon his heart felt. Yet, it didn't prevent it from beating faster and faster, so much that he could hear his own heartbeat despite the loud grinding of the elevator, he could practically feel it pounding against the inside of his ribs. He took a deep breath, but it didn't do much good. With each second that passed, Akechi Goro's anxious anticipation increased, almost as though he were a criminal slowly climbing up the stairs to the gallows, one step at a time...  
  
And then, just when he felt like the adrenaline was about to swallow him whole...  
... the elevator stopped. The doors slid open, and that was it. There was no trapdoor giving way under his feet. There was no noose tightening around his neck and strangling him to death. There was no executioner watching him as his life quickly slipped away.  
  
No, the only thing that greeted Akechi Goro upon exiting the elevator was a few gasps of surprise. The Phantom Thieves stared at him in confusion, clearly taken aback by his sudden appearance, but he barely noticed – all he could focus on was his father, Shidou Masayoshi, or rather his Shadow. He wasn't in his usual suit but in an outfit that reminded Akechi Goro of a captain attire, and was wearing a strange helmet that would have looked almost like the upper half of a human skull, were it not for the seven pointy tips protruding from it. But even stranger was the _giant lion_ Shidou was riding, a grotesque yet grand thing made of golden statues, their arms high in the air as if in worship. Despite the circumstances, Akechi Goro couldn't help but feel a bit awed.  
  
"Akechi, what happened? Are you hurt? You are covered in blood..."  
  
The young man didn't turn toward the person addressing him. He kept staring at Shidou, who was returning his gaze, but he didn't fail to notice the note of genuine concern in Kurusu Akira's voice.  
  
"Don't worry. It is not mine." he simply replied.  
  
He had intended to reassure him but, if Akechi Goro was looking at him, he would have quickly realized the black-haired boy didn't find his words very reassuring. The same went for everybody else – they all stared at him, their eyes wide, but nobody dared ask whose blood he had spilled.  
  
Enthralled by the sight of his father towering over him, Akechi Goro didn't immediately notice the strong wind blowing through the room. It was actually wrong to call it a room, he thought, for it wasn't one at all – it looked more like an open-air stage. The roof above him was split open in half, giving quite a beautiful view of the pink and purple hues of the twilight sky. An infinite shower of confetti fluttered in the air around him, but he couldn't trace its source. Around fifty feet behind him, the wooden floor stopped as it met with the edge of the void. There was no railing, and one strong gust of wind would likely be enough to knock someone off the platform, but he quickly discarded the thought from his mind. Given the ship layout, Akechi Goro deduced he was currently at the very top of the National Diet Building, or rather its twisted imitation born from his father's mind. He didn't linger on it too long, however – what mattered the most to him was the huge, golden steering wheel floating above him and turning on its own. This was Shidou's treasure, there was no doubt about it. The key to have him reformed...  
  
A sudden roar startled him from his thoughts. It was a loud, eerie sound, that seemed to echo in the air for a very long time. The lion bared its sharp teeth at the entire group, letting a very low growl that cemented the thought in everybody's mind – Shidou was ready. Akechi Goro gazed at Kurusu Akira, who returned his stare. The brown-haired boy said nothing, but he didn't need to speak – the flame of determination burning in his eyes conveyed more than his words ever could. Kurusu Akira observed him and eventually nodded, sending a jolt of gratitude to the teenager's brain. He silently promised himself not to make him regret his decision.  
  
"... It's on." the black-haired boy simply said, and that was enough of a signal – everybody took a battle stance, both eager and ready to win against the most formidable enemy that ever stood in their way.  
  
Sakura wasted no time and immediately climbed inside Necronomicon. The UFO-shaped Persona hovered over the group, its green lights shining upon them.  
  
"Get ready, he's coming! I'll support you the best I can!" she cried out upon seeing Shidou smirking and pointing at them, commanding his lion to pounce. Everybody nodded, and braced themselves.  
  
"So what's the plan?!" Takamaki asked as she dodged the lion's deadly jaws and cast a spell at it in retaliation, earning a satisfying grunt of pain in response.  
  
"Just the usual! We beat the crap out of him and we steal his treasure!" Sakamoto yelled, unloading his entire magazine point-blank on the lion before it could recover from Takamaki's spell.  
  
"Skull's right. There's nothing else we can do for now. Let's give him hell, everyone!"  
  
A murmur of excited agreement rose from the group at Morgana's words. Feeling more motivated than ever, Akechi Goro reached for his gun and took aim, his bullet piercing one of the lion's eyes. It roared in excruciating pain, thrashing around so much it nearly threw Shidou off its back.  
  
"Oh, nice shot!" Okumura complimented, her eyes bright. The young man didn't answer, surprised at how quickly she seemed to have forgotten about her near-death experience caused by his carelessness.  
  
But he knew that she actually hadn't forgotten. None of them had – and even so, they had still decided to give him yet another chance, probably because they knew how important this fight was to him... or perhaps because they thought they were too harsh on him when it came to the incident with Okumura. Whatever the reason, they had chosen to put their distrust aside for the time being and allow him to fight alongside them once more, and for that, he was grateful.  
  
The faint hint of joy washing over his features didn't get past Shidou. He had managed to steady the lion while the brown-haired boy was lost in thought and gave him a very, very ugly smile, but Akechi Goro didn't notice. He didn't realize the countdown to despair had begun.  
  
Just as the entire group was lunging at the Shadow, hoping to deal the finishing blow, it happened. Shidou took out a gun and shot. His weapon leapt exactly five times.  
  
"Huh? What is he doing–" Sakamoto began in confusion, only to cut himself off and gape in horror at the sound of crystal shattering. Thousands of shards fell to the floor like a hard rain, causing the group to shield themselves with their arms.  
  
Very slowly, everybody looked up. They all knew what they were going to see, but they had to confirm it for themselves, as if there was a chance, a very tiny one, that they could be mistaken. Needless to say, they weren't. Their worst fear came true.  
  
"Navi..."  
  
Kitagawa's voice broke. This was all he could say. The rest of the group stayed silent, frozen in place, unable to tear their sights away from Necronomicon, and more specifically from where its five spheres would have been, if they hadn't been shot down to pieces.  
  
For a moment, the Persona kept hovering above them, as if nothing happened. But then, when a tiny glimmer of hope managed to work its way into everybody's hearts...  
... a scream pierced the silence. It came from Sakura. It was so unexpected, so terrifying, it chilled Akechi Goro's very soul.  
  
The explosion shook the air. Everybody ducked instinctively, Niijima jumping backward before she could be crushed by Necronomicon as it crashed to the floor in a mess of smoke and fire. Morgana was the first to recover from the explosion. He looked at the carcass of Necronomicon as if in a trance.  
  
"We... we have to get her out!" he squeaked, his voice shaking so much it was practically a miracle he had managed to form a coherent sentence. "She might be–"  
  
"Alive? Don't make me laugh."  
  
Everybody's eyes darted to the person who spoke. Shidou was smirking, clearly amused at the cat's foolishness. Morgana could only flinch in distress. Kurusu Akira and Sakamoto were shaking with rage. Kitagawa's face was entirely blank, as if he didn't know how to show emotion anymore. Niijima's eyes were wide with shock, like she still couldn't comprehend what just happened. Tears of anger poured down Takamaki's face, matching Okumura's silent, heart-wrenching sobs. Akechi Goro couldn't bring himself to watch her and averted his gaze. The look of hatred he gave his father would have been enough to make anyone recoil in fear, but Shidou didn't. He just stared back at him, his fingers tightening around his gun, and the brown-haired boy involuntarily let out a barely audible gasp at the sight. The weapon in Shidou's hand looked exactly like his impostor's own...  
  
"I hope you brats learned your lesson. Don't you dare get cocky on me ever again." Shidou spat cruelly.  
  
For Sakamoto, this was the last straw. "You... you fucking bastard! You killed her!"  
  
Shidou merely chuckled in return. It was an infuriating laugh, causing Akechi Goro to clench his fists so hard his nails would have probably drawn blood from the palm of his hands, were it not for his gloves protecting them.  
  
At last, the Shadow gave Sakamoto a proper reply, and it was with those words that Akechi Goro's world began crumbling under his feet. "I didn't kill her. He did."  
  
"What?!" the brown-haired boy cried out as Shidou pointed at him. The Phantom Thieves kept quiet, too stunned to know how to react.  
  
"Good job, Akechi. That was a great idea." the Shadow continued, his smile widening upon noticing the increasing distress showing on Akechi Goro's face.  
  
"W-What the hell are you talking about?!" he shot back, too flustered and outraged to notice the thieves' piercing stares burning into him.  
  
"H-Hey, what's going on?! What's this all about?!" Takamaki cried out, glaring at him.  
  
Akechi Goro flinched at the open hostility in her voice, but he refused to cower. "I'm telling you, I have no idea! He's probably–"  
  
"Ah, Akechi, you know you don't need to play your part anymore. Just tell them they've been outplayed like the brainless kids they are."  
  
Shidou's speech was harsh and flat. The teenager opened his mouth to snap at him again, only to gape in surprise at the sudden sound of a voice resonating in the air around them. It was his own voice.  
  
_"They were so easy to convince, Shidou-san... a little pleading was all it took. But I admit I feel ashamed of myself for being so careless... I could have gathered much more information if I had stayed with them longer. But on second thought, I don't think that really matters, because what I heard during the short time I spent with them should be more than enough... you know, that brat who gives them support? She is always inside that weirdly-shaped, flying thing... and it seems destroying the spheres protruding from under it would destroy it as well... it would be an easy way to dispose of her. I think it would be wise to get rid of her first, and then kill the others before they can recover from the shock... I will give you my gun..."_  
  
The voice stopped speaking, leaving behind an eerie silence. Akechi Goro heard every single word. But he wasn't sure he understood them.  
_  
What the hell is this... I never said any of that...  
  
_ The Phantom Thieves shared his surprise, but it wasn't long before the astonishment on their faces gave way to something else – understanding.  
  
"I can't believe this..."  
  
"So that's how Shidou knew about Necronomicon's weak points..."  
  
"You never wanted to confront him! You wanted to join us just so you could spy on us and report to him afterwards!"  
  
Takamaki's accusation pierced the young man's heart like a knife. It didn't prevent it from racing in his chest, however. He hastily turned to face her and opened his mouth, his eyes practically pleading her to believe him, but someone spoke up before he could.  
  
"Akechi... she isn't right, is she?"  
  
Something inside of Akechi Goro stopped. He just stood there, rooted to the spot, unable to tear his gaze away from Kurusu Akira. By doubting Takamaki, the black-haired boy was giving him a chance, a chance to save the shaky bond of trust between them before it could shatter to pieces. It was like Kurusu Akira didn't want this bond to break, he didn't want to accept that Akechi Goro might have really betrayed them all yet again...  
  
At long last, the young man broke free from his trance. He couldn't let this happen. He didn't want this to happen. A newfound resolve overpowered the dread consuming him and he gasped for air as he prepared himself to snap at Kurusu Akira, desperate to have them all understand they were being mistaken. But Shidou would have none of it.  
  
Without warning, he jumped off the lion's back and, by the time the group realized what he was doing, it was too late to stop him. Shidou's fist buried itself deep in the black-haired boy's solar plexus, the blow so strong he collapsed to the floor, knocked unconscious.  
  
"Ah! Joker!" Morgana gasped in shock, and the others weren't in a much better state. Everybody rushed to Kurusu Akira's side, but no amount of frantic shaking would wake him up. He was obviously alive, but his lack of response made it look disturbingly as though he wasn't.  
  
Akechi Goro, for his part, had stayed behind. All he could do was stare at the limp figure on the floor, fear slowly spreading through his veins, paralyzing him and eating away at every last fiber of his being...  
  
Silence filled the air. Nobody seemed to know what to say, or what to do. It was almost like their ability to think had crumpled along with Kurusu Akira.   
  
At last, someone broke the stillness around them. Morgana's voice was shaking, but not with fear, only blind rage. "How dare you... first Navi, now Joker... I'll make you regret it..."  
  
No sooner had he finished his sentence than he leapt toward Shidou. The cat didn't care about reforming him anymore. His cutlass held high in the air made it clear he was going for the kill.   
  
"Mona, no! Don't!" Akechi Goro heard Okumura plead somewhere behind him. Morgana ignored her, hissing like a wild cat at Shidou but, as his blade was about to meet with the Shadow's flesh, something stopped him. The giant lion, which everyone seemed to have forgotten, pounced. It opened its mouth wide, and the cat's eyes did the same.  
  
"No! No, not that!" Takamaki screamed, but it was far too late. The lion had already swallowed Morgana whole. Akechi Goro felt something flip in his stomach.  
  
"You... you gotta be fucking kidding me..." Sakamoto said in horror, unable to look anywhere but at the beast's jaws.  
  
Kitagawa tried to speak, but all that escaped his lips was a strangled sound. Beside him, Okumura had collapsed, her body shaking uncontrollably with sobs. Niijima rushed to her side but then, yet another tragedy struck. A gunshot rang out, so unexpected everybody jumped, and then gasped as Niijima fell to her knees and then to her side.  
  
"Queen...? Mako-chan...?" Okumura called out, her voice timid. Her face was drenched in tears and she was still shaking hard, but the sight of her dear friend crumpling to the floor had managed to bring her back to her senses, if only a little.  
  
Niijima didn't respond, and the thin stream of blood trickling down her forehead made it easy to know why. For a moment, everybody stayed entirely silent, struggling to process what just happened. Okumura was surprisingly the first to recover, and she let out a long, deafening scream that barely sounded human.  
  
"See, Shidou-san? They think they can take on anything, but they are really a bunch of harmless brats without their leader. Get rid of him and they become brainless little lambs, waiting to be slaughtered."  
  
Akechi Goro's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately turned toward the source of the voice. He couldn't believe his eyes and yet, his impostor was really there beside Shidou, an evil smile on his lips. His left arm was stretched out toward the group, and it took some time for the young man to register the gun held tight in his hand, smoke escaping from the barrel. Shidou had likely given it back to him when no one was looking, too stunned by the tragedies occurring around them to pay him attention. The teenager didn't even know when the impostor first showed up, but he didn't care. Everything was falling into place. He now understood everything that happened this past hour.  
  
He had been set up. The impostor probably spied on them while he was fighting alongside the thieves, and didn't miss their conversation about Necronomicon's weak points. The voice that had echoed through the air earlier wasn't his own – it was his double's. Even the entity's final words in the first-class cabin made sense now – he knew what was going to happen, and this is why he had advised the real teenager to prepare himself for the worst. Yes, this was all a trap, and Akechi Goro fell for it, utterly and completely. He knew he was now paying the price.  
  
The arrival of his impostor was so unexpected everyone seemed to have forgotten about the tragedies that just struck them, if only for a moment.  
  
"What the... who the hell are you?!" Sakamoto asked in astonishment, his eyes darting frantically from Akechi Goro to the impostor.  
  
"Isn't that... Shidou's perception of him?" Takamaki wondered as she gestured toward the real teenager. "Like Kamoshida's perception of me..."  
  
Sakamoto gaped as realization dawned on him. He looked like he was about to say something, but someone else was faster.  
  
"You are enjoying this, aren't you."  
  
Akechi Goro's words had been so sudden everyone turned to face him. His entire body was shaking with fury as he glared daggers at his double, his teeth gritted like an angry animal.  
  
"Hmph. Maybe I am." the impostor replied nonchalantly, giving him a lazy yet malevolent smile.  
  
A thoughtful frown appeared on Kitagawa's face as he processed the existence of the entity before him, and his eyes suddenly widened. It seemed he had come to the same conclusion Akechi Goro had reached only moments earlier, and wasted no time in addressing it. "... Akechi, you never betrayed us, did you? That was... all their work."  
  
Akechi Goro gave him a blank stare. He didn't feel like confirming or denying his assessment. Deep down, he knew that the thieves finally opening their eyes to the truth was something to be happy about, but not even this comforting knowledge could begin to relieve the extreme pain in his heart. Three of them had died already. Akechi Goro wondered if his brain was still capable of producing endorphins after being forced to process the horror that were those past minutes. It was actually a miracle his brain was still working fast enough to even form this thought.  
  
"Akechi, you–" Takamaki began hesitantly, sorrow written all over her face, only to gasp in surprise as Sakamoto screamed and leapt at her, his arms outstretched like he wanted to shield her from an imminent blow.  
  
Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. Akechi Goro witnessed it all. The impostor taking aim. His smile widening. His finger squeezing down on the trigger. The bullet splitting the air and coming for Takamaki, only to meet with Sakamoto's skull instead.  
  
"Hmph... not bad." the impostor praised as he watched the blond-haired boy's frame collapse to the floor. Beside him, Shidou nodded in approval, although it seemed more likely that he was impressed with his right-hand man's shooting skills, rather than Sakamoto's quick reflexes.   
  
For a moment, Takamaki stood completely still. She then slowly fell to her knees and simply remained there, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. At last, Kitagawa could take no more, and with a howl of rage, he reached for his katana, only to meet the same fate as Sakamoto. Akechi Goro's heart stopped for a split second. Sakamoto and Kitagawa's consecutive deaths hit him like a whiplash, managing to get rid of the paralysis that had claimed his body and mind. Without thinking, he took aim and watched as his bullet pierced his double's heart, but he knew... he knew it would accomplish nothing. His double was now lying dead on the floor, but another one quickly took his place, very much alive and ready to resume his job. He shot down Takamaki almost nonchalantly, as if the task was getting boring to him.  
  
"Stop it... please stop it already..."  
  
Akechi Goro almost didn't hear Okumura's pleading. She was cowering in fear, her hands pressed hard against the sides of her head. The impostor slowly approached her and gave her a friendly smile. She looked up, her eyes filled with tears, only for them to widen as she felt the barrel of the gun brushing against her forehead. She then closed them in resigned acceptance, probably figuring life wasn't worth living anymore, not when her precious friends were all gone. Seconds later, her body slumped backward, thrown by the force of the bullet piercing her brain.  
  
The impostor silently watched her for a moment and then lazily stretched his arms, like someone would do after a job well done. Shidou's eyes lingered from corpse to corpse, taking the time to admire the sight. Akechi Goro imitated him, but not for the same reason. Inside of him, something had broken. A lump of lead had formed in the pit of his stomach. It was cold like a moon, and the absolute zero didn't take long to spread throughout the rest of his body. It was a biting, freezing chill, so penetrating he could feel it reach his inner organs. Akechi Goro hugged himself, but he didn't manage to stop his body from shivering.  
  
"So, about that bet... I won it, right? You are wishing I had killed you before you could witness all this, aren't you?"  
  
The impostor's smile was friendly. He had put his gun away and was patiently waiting for an answer, his arms folded behind his back. Akechi Goro said nothing, however – what he did was perhaps the most pointless and childish thing he had ever done in his life, but he was long past caring. With a roar, he pounced on his double, knocking him to the floor and tirelessly driving his fists straight into his face. He hit and hit and hit again, his features distorted by rage, but no matter how many times the sound of fist meeting flesh rang out, the ache in his heart didn't lessen. Even so, he didn't stop, and soon enough, two huge bruises appeared on the entity's face. He grunted in pain and winced upon seeing his assailant's fist coming straight for his nose, but a miracle happened. Akechi Goro gasped in surprise as he felt someone grabbing him by the back of his collar and forcefully lifting him up, then tossing him hard to the side. The force of the impact left him stunned for a few seconds and he shook his head in a desperate attempt at snapping out of it, failing to notice the disapproving look Shidou was giving him, in a manner very like a father glaring at his least favorite son after separating him from his favorite one.  
  
At long last, Akechi Goro recovered, only for his heart to skip a beat as he heard a weak groan of pain resounding in his ears. It didn't belong to the impostor, and his brain immediately made the connection. Leaping to his feet, he rushed to Kurusu Akira's side, shaking him almost desperately until the black-haired boy's eyes fluttered open. Despite the circumstances, the young man couldn't help but let out a barely audible sigh of relief.  
  
"Huh, Akechi...?" Kurusu Akira managed while sitting up straight, wincing in pain and bringing a hand to his abdomen. "What... happened?"  
  
But he didn't need to wait for Akechi Goro to answer – the scene before him did the trick just fine. The black-haired boy gasped and jumped to his feet, staring in horror as his eyes stopped on Takamaki's corpse, then Okumura's, then everyone else's...  
  
"What... what the hell happened..." he whispered in disbelief. Akechi Goro tried to speak, only to let out an exclamation of surprise when Kurusu Akira turned toward him, something very close to hatred twisting his features. It was a sight so unnatural, so bizarre, the young man couldn't help but simply watch, his heart clenching in his chest.  
  
"You... you didn't do this, did you...?" the black-haired boy asked slowly, his eyes narrowing in cruel suspicion. The injustice of it all sent a jolt of outrage to Akechi Goro's brain that pierced through the misery clouding his mind, and he practically screamed at him when he answered.  
  
"Dammit, stop jumping to conclusions already! Of course I didn't do any of this! It was him!"  
  
He pointed a trembling finger at his impostor's direction, except there was no impostor at all. He was no longer there. The teenager felt his stomach churn in an almost nauseating way.  
  
"Huh...? Where... where did he go?" he said in utter confusion, but no sooner had the words left his throat than realization dawned on him. This was part of the plan, he was sure of it.  
  
"Look, I swear I didn't kill them, it was–" he began desperately as he grabbed hold of the black-haired boy's wrist, only to part his lips in surprise when Kurusu Akira jerked his arm away. Akechi Goro just stared, unable to believe what just happened. A tiny part of him, the one that wasn't broken yet, told him whatever bond he shared with Kurusu Akira was now gone. All that was left was a one-sided thread of distrust linking them together.  
  
The black-haired boy opened his mouth, but whatever he was going to say never left his throat, for Shidou suddenly lunged forward and punched him so hard it sent him flying. Kurusu Akira painfully crashed onto the floor but his body kept rolling over, pushed by the force of the blow... until it met with the end of the platform. Akechi Goro gasped in horror as he watched him slide over the edge and hang onto it for dear life. Only his hands were visible now, and the brown-haired boy could see them tense with effort, but to no avail. Kurusu Akira couldn't climb up on his own. He needed someone to lift him up.  
  
Not taking the time to think, Akechi Goro dashed toward him. It felt almost like the world was gone, and all he could now see was two red dots in the distance – Joker's gloves. The two dots were growing bigger and bigger as he approached them... he was almost there...  
  
The thought had barely finished crossing his mind when someone tackled him from behind and was now keeping his wrists pinned to the floor. The yelp of surprise he had let out upon falling down quickly turned to a gasp of shock as he twisted his neck to see his impostor sitting on him, his eyes devoid of emotion. The real teenager struggled like a wild animal, but he couldn't get him off his back.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?! Let go of me! I have to... I have to–"  
  
"Ah, I'm sorry. It's already too late."  
  
The impostor's voice was too calm. It was way too slow. "See? He is already dead."  
  
The teenager's eyes opened wide and he immediately shifted his gaze to Kurusu Akira again, only to feel his heart stop. Shidou was there towering over the black-haired boy, and while he could only see his back, Akechi Goro knew he was smirking in victory. Then, it happened. Shidou stepped with all his weight on one of Kurusu Akira's hands, prompting him to let out a cry of pain and immediately jerk his arm away. He was now one hand away from death, and it wasn't long before Shidou got rid of it as well. The black-haired boy had no choice but to let go, falling inexorably into the void, leaving behind an eerie silence.  
  
Akechi Goro didn't hear himself scream. He didn't register the weight pressing down on him anymore. He didn't feel the blood in his veins slowing to a crawl. He didn't notice how fast his heartbeat was.  
  
Slowly, Shidou turned around and approached the two teenagers, his expression unreadable. He stood there, towering over them like a king, until at last, he spoke.  
  
"Akechi. Come."  
  
A hint of confusion managed to pierce through the cloudy blankness that was currently Akechi Goro's mind, and his eyes widened almost imperceptibly. But as he struggled to understand why his father was calling to him, the weight keeping him restrained lifted. He could only gape in astonishment at the sight of his double practically running to Shidou's side.  
  
"You did an excellent job. None of this would have been possible without you. Great work, Akechi." the Shadow said quietly, staring right into his right-hand man's eyes. The real teenager swore he just saw something flash in the depths of Shidou's own.  
  
"Sh-Shidou-san..."  
  
The entity's voice was no longer devoid of emotion. It wasn't slow, cold or taunting anymore. It sounded almost... enraptured.  
  
Akechi Goro kept observing the scene, enthralled. In that moment, Shidou and his impostor looked like nothing else but a family, with the proud father congratulating his delighted son for a job well done. The young man grimaced, a sudden pain digging at his chest. This is what he had always wanted... to be acknowledged by his father... to be praised... to be loved...  
  
Shidou extended an arm, likely with the intent to pat his true son on the head but then, when Akechi Goro could take no more and averted his gaze, a sudden yelp of surprise coming from the impostor immediately redirected his attention to him. The sight caused his heart to sink in his stomach.  
  
Shidou had grabbed his double by the throat and was now effortlessly holding him high in the air, as if he were barely heavier than a feather. Strangled sickening sounds escaped his mouth as he kicked around, struggling and pawing at the Shadow's hand in a desperate attempt at breaking free, but to no avail. Shidou tightened his grip around his neck and Akechi Goro could only gape in horror, instinctively pulling himself to his knees as he did. It was impossible to see the impostor's face from his position, but he had no trouble picturing it – features distorted by pain and fear, eyes twitching frantically around, saliva dripping off his mouth... some drops fell down, forming wet and dark circles on the floor.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, a horrifying noise of bones breaking resonated in Akechi Goro's ears, and he knew this was a sound he would take to the grave. Shidou tossed the body almost nonchalantly onto the floor, right in front of the real teenager, who didn't react. He didn't even realize how his entire body was drenched in cold sweat. He just stared, unable to tear his gaze away from the corpse. The neck was twisted at an impossible angle. The mouth was gaping, as if frozen in a silent scream. The eyes were wide open and utterly empty – even more so than when the double was alive, if that was possible. Still, Akechi Goro could feel those eyes pierce him with their blank stare. Somewhere deep down, he knew the entity wouldn't appear ever again. He was no longer needed.  
  
At long last, the corpse vanished, but the young man's sight still lingered on where it had just been, almost captivated, so much that he didn't register Shidou slowly coming his way and kneeling down beside him. It was only when he felt his mask being taken off that he became aware of the Shadow's presence. Akechi Goro looked up almost mechanically, wondering absent-mindedly why Shidou was staring so intently at him. He didn't need to wait long to get an answer.  
  
"... I have always noticed, but now that I look more closely... you really do look like her. You are practically her spitting image." the Shadow said quietly, a note in his voice that was difficult to interpret. "I won't deny I was taken aback the first time you showed up... if I didn't know she was pregnant, I might have thought it a joke. It made much more sense when I realized you were her kid..."  
  
Akechi Goro blinked once, then twice, his brain working hard to process what he just heard. At last, it clicked. Shidou's words had managed to break him out of his trance. He was back.  
  
"What?!" he spat in disbelief, his eyes now entirely focusing on him, but the Shadow didn't elaborate. He listlessly dropped the young man's red mask on the floor and stood up, walked past him and approached his lion to pet it. A horrible realization dawned on the teenager, but it couldn't be true, it couldn't. He had to ask, he had to make sure he was being mistaken. Akechi Goro put his mask back on his face and very slowly climbed to his feet, turning around to face Shidou. His heart was racing like it had never raced before.  
  
"D-Don't tell me... you knew...? You knew that I was your... your..."  
  
"I suspected as much." Shidou interrupted, not bothering to even glance over his shoulder at him.  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide, and his breath stopped in his throat. The flow of time seemed to have frozen as well. He felt like he was trapped in a tiny room whose walls were slowly closing in. The air was getting scarce. Breathing was becoming painful.  
  
He had always hated Shidou, there was no denying it, and he knew his hatred would remain intact until his very last moments. He was the man that had stolen everything from him – his past, his present, and his future. It was because of him that his mother eventually met her end. It was him that made Akechi Goro a murderer. It was him that manipulated the young man like a puppet. It was him that pulled his strings. And it was him that had planned to have his very own son killed off the minute he would no longer be useful, entirely aware of the connection between them.  
  
"I'll kill you... just like I killed you last time..."  
  
Akechi Goro's voice had been little above a whisper, but Shidou managed to hear it all. He turned around and peered at him, his eyes hard, almost like a father about to scold his son.  
  
"Stop being so childish. I have always thought of you as a foolish brat, and you proved me right once again. I know what you are thinking. You are blinding yourself into believing I am the one to blame for everything that happened to you, but open your eyes. You brought it all on yourself."  
  
Shidou's voice was harsh and cold. He would show no mercy even until the very end. "Your hatred for me is unjustified. The person you should really hate... is yourself."  
  
A knot of muscle gripped the teenager's throat, but he forced himself to ignore it. The weight of everything that happened this past hour felt heavier than ever, pressing down on his heart until it was completely crushed, and at last, what little sanity he had left entirely slipped away. It was a miracle that it didn't happen sooner. His bloodshot eyes narrowed in blind rage, and he let out something sounding disturbingly close to a growl. For a split second, his dark suit flashed over his white attire, as if sensing the hatred building up deep within. All he wanted was to kill him... to destroy him... to annihilate him...  
  
He didn't take long to make his move. He screamed Loki's name and his clothes immediately turned into his constricting outfit. Whatever humanity Akechi Goro had was gone. He was now nothing more than a rabid beast, driven by ferocious instinct. Disregarding any notion of common sense, he pounced at the Shadow, letting out a deafening howl of rage as he raised his serrated sword high in the air, but he never got the satisfaction of driving it into Shidou's flesh. The Shadow dodged the hit effortlessly and retaliated by burying his fist deep into the young man's stomach. Akechi Goro let out a weak grunt of pain and collapsed to the floor, holding his stomach tight in an attempt at lessening the ache, but it did little good. Shidou gazed coldly at him, at the broken, barely alive object lying at his feet. His eyes then widened almost imperceptibly – in spite of the pain, the teenager had forced himself up, stubbornly refusing to let his father win.  
  
"L-Lae... Laevatei–" he began shakily, only to involuntarily cut himself off with a strangled croak. Just like he did with his impostor, the Shadow had grabbed his throat with one hand, lifting him up from the floor effortlessly. Akechi Goro struggled and kicked, the claws of his gauntlets digging deep into Shidou's hand, but he didn't manage to get even a blink out of him. The Shadow's grip was tight and yet, he didn't squeeze. He merely walked forward... toward the void, and the realization caused the young man's eyes to widen in dread and squirm even harder, but to no avail.  
  
After an eternity that really lasted a matter of seconds, Shidou reached the edge of the platform, and extended his arm forward. Still choking, Akechi Goro risked a glance downward. He couldn't see the bottom, and struggled even more vigorously in reaction, his hands grabbing hold of Shidou's wrist like it was a life preserver. This couldn't be happening... it couldn't be. This had to be a nightmare...  
  
But the pain in his stomach, the strong grip on his throat, and the strangled sounds that came from it were enough to make him understand that no, it wasn't one. Everything that happened until now was real. Akechi Goro's imminent death would be real as well.  
  
"We are on the eve of a new world order, and it is all thanks to your hard work. I am proud of you."  
  
At those words, something stirred inside Akechi Goro's stomach, and his body immediately went limp. He gazed at Shidou, his eyes filled with fear, despair, and... something else. Something he was ashamed of. It was this emotion that had helped his father manipulate him so easily, after all, and he knew, in that moment, that the Shadow wasn't praising him so much as he was toying with him. Shidou was aware of his son's weakness. He knew how incapacitating, how binding the right combination of words could be. He probably wanted to see Akechi Goro's enraptured eyes one last time. This was his way to remind his son of the powerful hold he had on him... the hold he would have until his last moments.  
  
Shidou briefly glanced over his shoulder at the corpses filling the room, and returned his gaze to the teenager. "Really, you were useful until the very end. Were it not for your connection to me, I might have let you live just a little longer as a reward."  
  
Akechi Goro tried to speak, but the grip on his throat only allowed him to let out a strangled gasp. Forcing himself to clear his mind, his fingers tightened around the Shadow's wrist and he kicked at him again, earning a mere cold stare in response. Even so, he kept at it, refusing to surrender. He wouldn't give Shidou that satisfaction.  
  
The thought had only just entered his mind when a choked groan of pain escaped his lips, and Akechi Goro unwillingly let go of his father's wrist as his brain processed what just happened – Shidou had punched him in the stomach yet again.  
  
"I think this is it, then. It is about time you join them all. Farewell."  
  
And on those words, he dropped Akechi Goro in the void. More accurately, he threw him with all the strength of his powerful arm, as though he were smashing a glass wall with a violent rock throw. Akechi Goro screamed in terror, until he could feel the metallic taste of blood going up his throat and into his mouth, and then screamed some more.   
  
This wasn't supposed to happen. This shouldn't have ever happened, but it did. He didn't want to admit it, but he did lose against his father yet again. He did witness the thieves die one by one before his eyes. He did watch as the fragile bond with his only friend snapped in half, and he couldn't even comfort himself by believing they would see each other in the afterlife. Wherever he was going now, he knew Kurusu Akira wouldn't be there. Sinners were separated from the spotless upon dying, after all.  
  
Akechi Goro kept falling. A bit longer and he would grow accustomed to the sickening sensation in his stomach. He slowly closed his eyes, finally admitting defeat. Perhaps he really couldn't escape his fate. Perhaps he had been wrong to try and fight it. Perhaps he really should have died like he was supposed to, back there in the engine room. But that hardly mattered now – Shidou had managed to fix the mistake he had made by clinging so desperately to life. Deep down, he was almost eager to meet his end. He knew it would be the only way to free himself from the intense despair eating away at him from within.  
  
But then, without warning, his eyes opened wide. He had no idea why, but a sudden urge took over him, and he was unable to resist it.  
  
"L-Loki!" he screamed despite himself, blinking in utter confusion as the Persona immediately answered his call and followed him in his fall. Akechi Goro could only stare, his mind struggling to understand what just happened. It was almost like somebody had forced a summoning out of him... as if _Loki_ had wanted to come out...  
  
The entity raised his sword high in the air but, before the young man could even begin to wonder what he was trying to do, something snapped him out of his thoughts. Dizziness took over him and his eyes opened even wider as a sudden rush of adrenaline spread throughout his body. The hour had now elapsed... the Another Time Navi was about to bring him back...  
  
His excitement died down as quickly as it had washed over him, however. The ATN was practically a godsend, but it couldn't work miracles. Even if it brought him back to the present before he crashed into the ground or the sea, he knew it wouldn't erase this event from existence. Akechi Goro closed his eyes again and braced himself for the worst, accepting that he was about to wake up dead.


	18. Case 17 - FUNERAL

Akechi Goro was a puppet, whose strings were called the threads of fate.  
  
Fate was just like a puppet master – a superior entity pulling Akechi Goro's strings, and laughing as it watched its puppet move and swing against its will. The puppet couldn't kick or struggle, only scream, but it wasn't like it did it much good. It never took long for a puppet to realize it had no choice but to resign itself to its fate, because it knew, deep down, that there were really only two kinds of people in the world – those who gave orders, and those who obeyed them. It was unfair, but then again, nothing was fair in the life of someone who was less than a human being.  
  
Even so, puppets might try and break free from the strings binding their limbs. Sometimes, the puppet master might even allow it, and watch as a spark of hope ignited inside what passed for its puppets' hearts. But then, when they were finally about to escape for good, when they could see, in the distance, freedom greeting them with a smile as they approached it...  
... fate would yank them back. It was a cruel, twisted act, like showing a dog a juicy bone and gloat as the chain around its neck, just short enough to do the trick, would pull it back each time it leapt at the bone. All the animal could do was whimper and watch its feast with sad eyes, its muzzle only inches away from it.  
  
But fate wasn't merely cruel, it was unpredictable, too. It liked to toy with its puppets, forcing them to prepare themselves for whatever ordeal they were about to face, only to laugh at their mounting confusion when they would realize there was no ordeal at all. Essentially, fate liked to betray their expectations out of mere amusement, usually for the worse, but sometimes for the better as well.  
  
Yes, it was safe to say that fate truly had many surprises in store for its puppets. And if there was one surprise Akechi Goro couldn't have expected, it was the surprise of being alive.  
  
_Where... am I?_  
  
It was with some effort that he opened his eyes. He blinked several times, confused and groggy. The world around him was a blur, but slowly came into focus as the minutes passed. He blinked again, trying his hardest to speed up the process, until a sharp picture appeared before his eyes. His sight lingered on the undone bed, the laptop covered with a thin layer of dust, the TV left turned on, the open drawers and the clothes lazily shoved inside them, the attaché-case sitting near the wall, and at last, he managed to make the connection – he was at home, in his bedroom.  
  
For a moment, he stood completely still, unsure what to make of the sight. His brain felt like it was working at a snail's pace, so much that it took him some time to realize how miserable he was feeling, but he had no explanation as to why. As if on cue, it was at that precise moment that his brain decided to return to its usual, efficient state. A tidal wave of memories and emotions crashed onto him violently, breaking through the numbness of his mind. Akechi Goro remembered. He remembered... everything.  
  
"Urgh..."  
  
The flow of memories drained all the strength in his body away and Akechi Goro let himself fall to the floor, his back leaned against the side of his bed. He slowly brought his knees to his chest and buried his head in his arms. His entire body was completely still, to the point it would be easy to think it was just an empty shell. Try as he might, he couldn't stop the pictures from swirling inside his mind, as if forced to watch a particularly unpleasant movie. The chilling scream Sakura let out... the way Necronomicon exploded almost like a time bomb... Morgana's eyes widening in fear as the lion closed its jaws on him... Niijima's unexpected, too sudden death... the way Takamaki's mind had practically shut down when Sakamoto took the hit for her.... Kitagawa who dropped dead only seconds after... the heartbreaking sobs coming from Okumura... and the way Kurusu Akira had...  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't bring himself to finish this thought. What he witnessed left a scar that would likely never fade, no matter how many years he waited. It was an excruciating pain that even time couldn't heal, only soothe at best, a memory that would remain engraved in every last fiber of his entire being for the rest of his life. It seemed cruel that a seventeen-year-old boy could be forced to witness such horror. Some people, much older and tougher than him, broke down in tears to circumstances that didn't equal to a hundredth of the trauma he had been through.  
  
Even so, Akechi Goro didn't cry. His eyes remained eerily dry and empty.  
  
A soft buzz rang out beside him, and he looked up to see his phone on his bed, plugged into the power outlet behind his nightstand. He reached for it robotically, and for the first time, his eyes didn't light up upon recognizing the name of the sender.  
  
"Are you alright?" S was asking.  
  
Akechi Goro stared at the screen for a moment before he eventually answered. "No."  
  
"I am sorry. It was a foolish question, wasn't it."  
  
The young man resisted the temptation to tell them that yes, it was, and plugged his phone back in, groaning at the small "7%" of the battery level – much too low for the ATN to be used safely. Even now, he still wasn't sure if the battery level really mattered or not – perhaps the application would still bring him back to the present even if his phone were to turn off while he was in the past, but that was one risk he didn't feel brave enough to take. A distracted glance at the date showing on his phone told him today was March 20th, 2017, but that knowledge was of no particular interest to him right now.  
  
With a miserable sigh, the teenager forced himself to clear his thoughts, only for something else to take their place nearly at once – utter disbelief.  
  
_Why am I here? How come I'm not..._  
  
Akechi Goro fidgeted around nervously. Thinking about the Phantom Thieves had made him forget he wasn't supposed to be there. Astonishment and unease mingled as his brain scrambled to provide a satisfying explanation, and it didn't take long to find one. The teenager had no idea how, but the reason for his survival could most likely be traced to Loki. He was now certain it was his Persona himself that forced a summoning out of him, as if desperate to save him... and whatever he did, it worked.  
  
"Thank you..." Akechi Goro whispered, his voice barely audible even to his ears, but the way he felt something stir deep within himself suggested Loki had heard it all.  
  
Finding some comfort in the small wave of warmth filling his heart, the young man surprised himself by smiling a tiny yet genuine smile. It faded nearly at once, however. Deep down, he was truly grateful to Loki, but even deeper, he couldn't help but wonder – was it good luck that he managed to cheat death yet again?... Or misfortune?  
  
His indecisiveness, coupled with the trauma lingering in his brain, gave birth to another emotion – guilt. Guilt wasn't a very common concept in Akechi Goro's life – because the first thing he was taught when he chose to become a murderer was that he couldn't afford to feel guilt. It was only a hindrance, an obstacle to get rid of as soon as possible, and also the emotion that separated the saint from the sinner. But right now, the guilt consuming him wasn't the guilt of taking someone's life. It was the guilt of being alive, while people who deserved it much more didn't get this chance.  
  
And yet, Akechi Goro lived. Someone, somewhere, had decided he couldn't die just yet. Perhaps because dying would be the easy way out, he told himself, an escape route for cowards... or perhaps it was the promise he had made to himself that forced him to stay alive no matter what – the promise to undo the giant Palace, for the sake of the Phantom Thieves... the promise that might grant him redemption, if he were to fulfill it...  
  
With what felt like an inhuman effort, the young man lifted himself up off the floor and climbed into his bed. The extreme wave of emotions swirling in his brain had drowned it out, but his awareness of his exhaustion had now come back in full force, pressing down on his eyelids like a great weight. All he wanted was to get some rest and, after pulling the covers over his body, he closed his eyes. It was a good thing he didn't notice he wasn't wearing his school uniform but a long-sleeved top instead. Comfortable though it was, it was also loose enough to allow a view of the ink carved around his collarbones and neck – the present Shidou had left him with, an eternity ago. The present that came from the person who managed to push back a little further away the limits of Akechi Goro's hatred each time they met again.  
  
_"Your hatred for me is unjustified. The person you should really hate... is yourself."_  
  
Akechi Goro stirred weakly in his bed, his eyebrows furrowing. Somewhere deep within his mind, the harsh words that came from his father's mouth were looming, like an annoying, persistent buzz ringing in his ears. Perhaps Shidou was right. Perhaps he really brought it all on himself. He was the one who let himself be tricked so easily, after all. Come to think of it, it did strike him as strange that the Phantom Thieves seemed to be perfectly fine when he met them at the top of the National Diet Building, despite his impostor claiming they were in trouble. No, the moment they started being in trouble was only when Akechi Goro showed up... it was his retribution for taking a third option instead of following Shidou's orders or die trying, but it was the thieves who paid the price of his impertinence.  
  
Akechi Goro clenched his teeth in distress, but did his best to clear his mind. He eventually drifted off to a shaky sleep, punctuated by a strange dream.  
  
"Akechi-kun! Good morning!"  
  
The young man jumped, startled by the unexpected greeting. He looked up from his notebook to see a beaming smile brightening Okumura's face. A quick glance at his surroundings told him he was inside a classroom, seated at a desk beside the short-haired girl. He didn't bat an eye at the uniform he was wearing – he was a student of Shujin Academy, after all.  
  
"Ah, hello, Okumura-san. How are you?" he asked, returning her pleasant smile.  
  
"I'm fine! I just came back from the rooftop, the flowers are growing so fast! They have already started to bloom!"  
  
She brought her hands together in delight, clearly excited. "By the way, what is your favorite flower, Akechi-kun?"  
  
The young man stayed silent for a moment before answering, pondering the question. "I suppose I like forget-me-nots the most."  
  
"What a coincidence! I feel the same!"  
  
The teenager tilted his head almost imperceptibly. It occurred to him that Okumura's behavior felt somewhat off, but he decided not to press the issue.  
  
"Is it difficult to grow flowers, Okumura-san?" he asked politely, aware showing interest in her pastime would make her happy.  
  
"As long as you are diligent, no, it isn't. Once you have planted the seeds, all you need to do is water them at regular intervals, and that's it!"  
  
"It sure sounds easy enough." the young man nodded, telling himself it might be a nice experience to give it a try one day.  
  
"But of course, you cannot afford to forget to water them, not even once... if you do, it would be just like letting them die..."  
  
Okumura's smile was cheerful. It certainly didn't match the sinister glint flickering in her eyes for a split second.  
  
"You know, don't you, Akechi-kun? How it feels to sit around and watch as they all die one by one."  
  
Akechi Goro looked at her in confusion, his heart starting to beat faster in his chest. "What...?"  
  
The corners of Okumura's lips stretched out into a slightly wider smile, and the young man scarcely had time to blink. Without warning, she raised her arm high in the air and slammed a pair of gardening shears on his desk, exactly at the spot where Akechi Goro's hand had been less than a split second earlier. The shears were now stuck in the desk and he just stared at them in utter incomprehension, feeling like his heart was about to burst.  
  
"Well? Don't you?" she insisted, her smile now eerie. Her hand was still wrapped tightly around the shears, sending a chill down the teenager's spine.  
  
His breathing hard and fast, he looked up at her, only to jump to his feet and take a few steps backward as he gaped at the sight. In the middle of Okumura's forehead was a circle-shaped wound, most likely caused by the impact of a bullet. A thin stream of blood was trickling down between her eyes and dripping off her face.  
  
Akechi Goro was too hypnotized by the sight to realize he and Okumura were not alone in the room. It was only when he felt several piercing stares burning into him that he noticed the Phantom Thieves were all here, save for Kurusu Akira. His eyes darted from person to person, widening a bit more with each face they stopped on. All of them sported a bullet wound on their head, whether it was on the forehead, the temple, or the skull.  
  
All of them, that is, except for one person seated near the windows. There was absolutely nothing that indicated it was her, but a tiny voice within himself told Akechi Goro that charred corpse was what used to be Sakura Futaba. He shook his head in utter disbelief, the contents of his stomach threatening to leave it any moment as a nauseating stench of burnt flesh forced itself into his nose. And when he felt bile begin to rise up inexorably in his throat, he saw it. On the desk Sakura was sitting at was something that could only be described as a half-digested animal. Some parts of it had melted away, mingling with what looked and smelled sickeningly like vomit. It was as if Morgana had been forced to take a gastric acid bath...  
  
At last, Akechi Goro could take no more. He clapped a hand over his mouth and fled the room, praying none of them would give chase. He slid the door shut behind him and pressed his back hard against it like a human barricade. It soon became clear there was no need to do so, however – the door remained surprisingly still, with no pounding or breaching coming from the other side. The young man cautiously stepped away from the door, inhaling gulps after gulps of air until his heartbeat returned to normal and his nausea settled down.  
  
So desperate had he been in his escape that he hadn't noticed he wasn't in Shujin anymore. He could only gape in astonishment as an endless summer meadow stretched out before his eyes, a beautiful picture of green grass meeting blue sky, without the shadow of a cloud to taint it. Confusion quickly gave way to wonder, but it wasn't long before something dragged him out of his contemplation – a familiar figure in the distance, crouched on the grass. The figure of Kurusu Akira.  
  
Relief swelling in his chest, Akechi Goro dashed toward him and, once there, brought his hands to his knees as he tried to catch his breath.  
Kurusu Akira, for his part, didn't react in a remarkable way upon seeing him. He merely cast him a glance at most.  
  
"Hah... hah... I am so glad to see you..." the brown-haired boy managed through heavy panting, failing to notice Kurusu Akira was hardly listening to him. "The others are... I don't know how to explain it... they were acting really weird..."  
  
"Ah?" was all Kurusu Akira bothered to say in return, busying himself with something the young man couldn't see from his position.  
  
Akechi Goro finally looked up, a bit taken aback by his aloof attitude, but curiosity quickly overpowered puzzlement and he approached the black-haired boy to take a peek over his shoulder. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Burying something." the other replied laconically, causing the teenager to raise an eyebrow – whatever he was doing, Kurusu Akira certainly wasn't burying something. In fact, he wasn't doing anything at all. He was just staring at a meaningless point on the grass.  
  
"... Huh?" the brown-haired boy muttered, growing more and more confused – and worried as well.  
  
"Don't you know, Akechi? Today's the day of your funeral."

Akechi Goro froze, wondering if he properly heard. His blood ran cold, but it wasn't long before a sudden shot of annoyance pierced through his uneasiness. "W-What the hell are you on about? This really isn't funny!"  
  
Kurusu Akira didn't flinch at his glare. His face remained frustratingly emotionless. After what felt like hours, he eventually stood up and turned around to face Akechi Goro – who felt his heart stop, unprepared for what he saw.  
  
This had to be some kind of joke. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. He shook his head furiously, trying his best to chase the sickening image away from his mind, only to have his efforts dashed the second his gaze met with the sight again. The mess of tangled intestines that seemed to have exploded out of Kurusu Akira's abdomen was still there, spraying out like a horrifying knot of worms.  
  
"W-What the... what is this..." the young man stammered in horror, taking a step backward, then another, until...  
  
"Aah!"  
  
... until his feet met with nothing. He stumbled backward, crashing painfully into what seemed to be a wooden crate, just spacious enough to fit an adult body.  
  
"Ow... my head..." he grumbled, eyes squeezed shut and teeth clenched in pain as he rubbed the bump that had immediately formed at the back of his head after it hit the bottom. It was only when he couldn't see the radiant sun shining through his eyelids anymore that he forgot about his injury. And it was only when he heard the sound of a padlock clicking with an appalling sense of finality that he finally understood what just happened... and what was about to happen next, if he didn't get out of here right now.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?! Let me out!" he cried out in utter dread, slamming his fists frantically against the lid above him, but to no avail. It wouldn't budge. Growing more and more desperate, he pounded at it again and again, until he could feel some blood trickling down his hands. "This has gone beyond a joke! Let me out already!"  
  
All he got for an answer was silence, but as his fists were about to connect with the lid again, he heard it. The distinctive noise of soil being dug up, and then being spattered onto wood.  
  
His eyes opened wide. His screams barely sounded human anymore. "No! No, stop! Stop it!"  
  
His pleading fell on deaf ears. He could sense the soil piling up above him.  
  
"Why?! Why?! Answer me! Why?!"  
  
There was no answer. Akechi Goro writhed and thrashed around for what felt like ages, refusing to accept this fate. But his efforts were for naught.  
  
"Why..." he whimpered again and again, his determination to escape dimming a bit more each time he uttered the word.  
  
Eventually, his frantic movements slowed, then ceased. With a gasp of terror, he realized he was starting to have trouble breathing. A burn worked its way into his lungs, until it grew scorching, then outright searing. It felt like he had been set ablaze from the inside. His lungs then tightened and contracted, as if protesting for the growing lack of oxygen. It was a terrifying sensation, something Akechi Goro didn't know he was capable of feeling. His blood had slowed to a crawl, and now turned into ice.  
  
A long, agonizing time passed. The teenager tried to inhale what little air was left in the coffin, except there wasn't anything to inhale anymore. It was pitch black around him and yet, he could see some dark specks flashing before him, growing wider and wider as they covered his eyes like a veil. His eyelids were heavy, and he had no more strength left in him to keep them open.  
  
He took a long time to die. His consciousness eventually faded and yet, he was still alive, as if stubbornly defying death. But death would have none of it, and in a quick motion, the last remnant of life linking the young man to the world was scythed away, and this is when Akechi Goro was freed from his nightmare, waking up with a start. His eyes wide with shock, he panted and gasped for air like he had never done so in his life, trying to take as much oxygen as possible into his lungs, as if afraid he might be deprived of it again.  
  
"That was... just a nightmare..." he eventually muttered weakly in an attempt at reassuring himself.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, he managed to calm down a bit, although his heartbeat was still abnormally fast. Letting himself fall backward on the mattress, he stared at the ceiling, growing more and more aware of the way his top was sticking uncomfortably to his skin. It was when he told himself, at last, that he should really get out of bed and take a shower, that a voice rang out in the room. It was coming from the TV, which Akechi Goro had forgotten to turn off before going to sleep.  
  
"Three months after Shidou Masayoshi's resignation from the post of Prime Minister, what can we expect for the future of our country? Stay tuned for our debate at 7 pm today!"  
  
For a moment, the young man stayed silent. He just blinked at the TV with a not so bright look on his face. Then, the words sank in.  
  
"Shidou's... resignation? What the–" he repeated in disbelief, only to cut himself off with an exclamation of surprise as Shidou's picture was replaced by the unmistakable logo of the Phantom Thieves.  
  
"In other news, the criminal responsible for the dozens of arsons breaking out across Tokyo has now been arrested. According to the reports, he was trying to escape via the National Route 1, only to suddenly stop his vehicle in the middle of the road and beg the drivers to call the police. Some witnesses said he looked as though he had lost his mind, and that once the police arrived on the scene, he confessed all his crimes unprompted. There is no doubt that the Phantom Thieves are involved yet again."  
  
Someone could have just slapped Akechi Goro in the face with pretty much the same result. There was absolutely no delay in his reaction this time.  
  
"What?!" he cried out as he leapt to his feet, frowning at the TV like it had just said something particularly revolting.  
  
The report kept going, but he was too flustered to give it his entire attention. His mind was a mess of astonishment, disbelief, and incredulity. He was probably still asleep and was having some kind of dream. Yes, that was it – just an absurd dream.  
... But, if it wasn't... then how? How could that be possible?  
  
Akechi Goro scrambled to his phone. His hands were shaking so hard it was a wonder he managed not to drop it on the floor. He opened the Internet browser in a flash, only for his confusion to increase with each link he checked out. Everywhere he looked, he saw articles berating Shidou in the most unpleasant kind of ways, people outraged at him and wishing they hadn't fallen for his lies so easily, and others wondering whether his crimes would warrant the death penalty or not, in a way that was, in Akechi Goro's opinion, chillingly too casual. But he quickly discarded the thought – it didn't matter at all, not when he could also read those thousands of messages showing support for the Phantom Thieves, cheering them on and encouraging them to keep up the good work...  
  
The teenager kept checking his phone frantically, gears spinning inside his brain at an extremely fast pace, mind fumbling to think of a reasonable explanation, only to come up blank. He had absolutely no idea how the thieves could still be in activity. How the hell could they be, when they were supposed to be dead?!  
  
Suddenly, something inside of Akechi Goro stopped. Very slowly, he looked up from his phone, staring off into the distance as the beginning of a realization wriggled its way into his mind. Yes, the Phantom Thieves were all dead, there was no denying it... he did witness their deaths after all.  
  
Except for Kurusu Akira. He did see him fall, but he never saw his dead body.  
  
Perhaps Kurusu Akira actually wasn't dead at all. Perhaps he had found a way to escape from death, just like Akechi Goro had escaped from it thanks to Loki. Yes, the more he thought about it, the more sense it made... Kurusu Akira was alive. He had to be.  
  
The teenager didn't take the time to think. He practically flung himself out of his bedroom and into the shower, barely wincing at his mutilated skin, and it was with great effort that he managed to put his school uniform on, so flustered his body felt like it was unwilling to cooperate anymore.  
  
And as he was about to slide his phone, now fully charged, into his pocket, he froze in his tracks. Not entirely sure why, he opened the messaging application, and his eyes stopped on the first conversation of the list – S'.  
  
Now might be a good time to finally get some explanation, he told himself. He might be able to find out who S is if he was persistent enough. He might find out what their deal really is, he might find out about their true intentions, he might even find out whether they are a god or not... now that he thought about it, he actually never sent the message inquiring S about it back then in Shibuya, all because Kurusu Akira had chosen this precise moment to show up...  
  
Akechi Goro was at a loss. The prospect of getting answers from S was an exciting one, but seeking the black-haired boy and find out what happened to him was equally appealing. Perhaps much more so, in fact...  
  
He didn't take long to make up his mind. Figuring asking S could wait until after he met with Kurusu Akira, he tucked his phone into his pocket and left his apartment without so much as a pause. The most likely place where the black-haired boy could be was obviously the Leblanc coffee shop, which would require to take the subway at Shibuya and then transfer to another line until he reached Yongenjaya Station. His destination decided, Akechi Goro made his way through the streets at a brisk pace, feeling both anxious and excited. He didn't forget, of course, about the way the black-haired boy had violently jerked his arm away as Akechi Goro tried desperately to make him understand he was being mistaken, nor did he forget how his eyes had narrowed in cruel distrust, but even so, Kurusu Akira might be alive, and that was something to be happy about.  
  
The faint glint of joy gleaming in Akechi Goro's eyes quickly dulled, however, as he realized he had no idea what he was supposed to tell Kurusu Akira upon finding him. Something told him the reunion might be very awkward, but his spirits lifted just as fast as they had dropped – this was a bridge he would cross when he would come to it, he figured.  
  
So engrossed had he been in his thoughts that he didn't realize he had already reached the huge Shibuya crossroad, which was lively as ever. Shops were so crammed with people it was a wonder they could manage to breathe. A group of students was resting under the shade of the trees, sharing sweets and drinks. Drivers patiently waited for the passersby to finish crossing the road before speeding up and disappearing through the adjacent streets, and the sight caused Akechi Goro to feel a pang of pain in his chest. This was at this exact same spot he had seen the Phantom Thieves get in their van and leave for an unknown destination, as if going on an exciting trip. But this time, there was no van at all, although it was supposed to be there. Akechi Goro knew the day he exited the dark corridor and ran into the thieves was March 20th, 2017 – with the way S had implied it, that much was clear. And today, he got to relive this day of his life once again... but the Phantom Thieves were no longer part of it.  
  
Akechi Goro gritted his teeth in pain and forced himself to chase away the dark patches of gloom darkening his mind, only for a ray of perplexity to pierce through. With the frenzy that came with traveling in time, he completely forgot about this particular mystery he still had yet to resolve – the mystery of the four months that separated the day he entered his father's Palace to fight the thieves from the day he exited it. Just what happened between November 27th, 2016 and March 20th, 2017? How could he figure it out? Even S said they had no idea when he had asked them about it... but, that might be a lie. Another one, that is.  
  
A low groan rumbled in his throat at the thought but he chose to put it at the back of his mind for now and, as he was about to make for the subway station, someone called out to him.  
  
"Huh...? Akechi...?"  
  
Akechi Goro felt his heart flip. He spun around to be greeted by a gaze he had come to know very well. The gaze of this strange yet fascinating person that was Kurusu Akira.  
  
For a moment, he could only gape at him, his brain scrambling to find something to say. What it came up with wasn't the brightest statement it had ever formed, but Akechi Goro couldn't pretend he particularly cared right now.  
  
"A-Ah... it's you...!" he stammered, excitement and apprehension splitting his mind in equal parts.  
  
For what seemed like an eternity, Kurusu Akira peered at him, his expression impossible to decipher. Akechi Goro swallowed hard, feeling like the temperature of the pleasant afternoon had dropped a dozen degrees. But when he finally gathered the courage to speak again, the black-haired boy grinned at him.  
  
"It's been a while." he chirped, tilting his head to the side.  
  
Akechi Goro blinked once, then twice. His eyes were rounder than ever when he replied. "Y-Yeah... Long time no see."  
  
A few seconds passed before he averted his gaze. Perhaps for the first time in years, he was feeling _shy._ "Um, I... I am glad to see you."  
  
"Glad to see you too, Akechi." Kurusu Akira replied at once. His lack of hesitation felt like a jolt of electricity coursing through the teenager's entire being. "It's been four months already... where did you go?"  
  
Akechi Goro opened his mouth to reply – except he had absolutely no idea what to say. "Well, that's..."  
  
Kurusu Akira waited for him to elaborate, but he quickly figured Akechi Goro had no intention of doing so. "... You don't want to tell me? Oh well. That's fine."  
  
While he couldn't blame him for jumping to this particular conclusion, the brown-haired boy couldn't help but give him a look of reproach anyway, feeling a bit disheartened all of a sudden. "It isn't that I don't want to tell you, it's just... a bit complicated..."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Kurusu Akira replied distractedly, his gaze lingering somewhere on his right.  
  
Akechi Goro didn't miss the way he had tensed up for a split second, but he shrugged it off. He couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "Um, I was wondering... how come you're... I mean..."  
  
"How come I'm here?" the other finished cheerfully. There was something wrong with his smile.  
  
"Y-Yeah..." Akechi Goro replied, a bit taken aback.  
  
Kurusu Akira's smile faded and he spun around, walking several feet away from the teenager. He then stopped, and answered. "... Arsene helped me."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes widened in surprise, although what he just heard was hardly surprising.  
  
"When I was falling, I suddenly got the idea to summon him." Kurusu Akira continued, his voice slower than usual. "I never thought it would work, but it actually did... I sure owe him one."  
  
"... What did he do exactly?" Akechi Goro couldn't help but ask, curiosity eating away at him.  
  
"I'm not sure how to explain it... he basically cast a spell under me, and it was as if it made a hole in the sky... I fell right through it, and before I knew it, I was back in Tokyo, lying on the ground. I'm guessing his spell breached a path to the real world, or something like that."  
  
"So that's what Loki did..." the young man muttered to himself in realization, but none of his words escaped the black-haired boy.  
  
"Loki?" Kurusu Akira repeated, suddenly glancing over his shoulder at him.  
  
Akechi Goro tensed, only now realizing he had slipped up. "Um, no, it's nothing..."  
  
The black-haired boy observed him for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, like a judge would in an attempt at detecting a defendant's lie, but ended up merely shrugging.  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't help but relax a little, relieved that Kurusu Akira chose not to press the issue. He quickly straightened up, however – there was something else he needed to ask. "... I heard on TV that an arsonist confessed all his crimes out of the blue... as if he had been reformed... did you do this?"  
  
"An arsonist? Huh... maybe. Yeah, maybe there was an arsonist in the bunch, now that I think about it. It's a bit hard to keep track of everybody I take care of."  
  
Kurusu Akira was now facing him again, nonchalantly twirling some strands of hair between his eyes. Akechi Goro was taken aback.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean...?" he asked, but he felt like he already knew.  
  
The black-haired boy looked at him for a moment, but didn't answer. What he did instead was close to the last thing Akechi Goro had expected him to do. He reached for something in his pocket, and what came from it was a tiny notebook. The young man blinked, confused, only to jump a little as Kurusu Akira listlessly tossed the notebook at his feet and then gave him an encouraging smile.  
  
Taking the hint, Akechi Goro very slowly, very cautiously bent down to pick it up. For some reason, his heart began beating faster in his chest, until it pounded, then outright raced. It was as if a tiny part of him was already aware of the contents of this notebook and was trying hard to let him know he really shouldn't open it, out of self-preservation perhaps.  
  
Still, Akechi Goro opened the notebook. On the first page was scribbled a title in capital letters. It read "List of targets." He could feel his body begin to tense.  
  
Almost mechanically, he skimmed through the notebook. The pages were filled with an endless list of names. There wasn't a single one that wasn't crossed out. Some of them were familiar – Kamoshida Suguru, Madarame Ichiryusai, Kaneshiro Junya, Okumura Kunikazu... and then, he saw it.  
  
"Sakura Sojiro...?" he read in disbelief, telling himself his eyes had to be playing tricks on him. He looked up hesitantly toward Kurusu Akira, only to jump in surprise – the black-haired boy's face was only inches away from his, a cheerful smile on his lips.  
  
"Keep going, keep going." he pressured, almost like a child asking his parent to resume reading a story.  
  
Akechi Goro looked at him with a mixture of wariness and perplexity, but did as he was told nonetheless. He turned the page over, and this is when his heart stopped.  
  
Just like the rest, the first three names of the verso page were crossed out. They were also extremely familiar. They read...  
  
_Shidou Masayoshi._  
_Niijima Sae._  
  
And...  
  
_Akechi Goro._  
  
"Pretty impressive, huh? I gotta say, it isn't easy to reform so many people in such a short period of time. I feel like I'm being overworked, you know what I mean?"  
  
A yawn that he hardly tried to stifle escaped Kurusu Akira's lips, and he lazily put his hand over his mouth. He was looking for all the world like he had just finished telling a particularly boring story. Akechi Goro barely noticed, however – all he could register was how his blood felt like it had chilled inside his veins.  
  
"But... why is Sae-san on this list..." he asked, his voice the smallest it had ever been in a while. "She never really was your enemy..."  
  
"... She left me no choice. What else was I supposed to do?"  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't help but gape. He knew, in that moment, that whatever was happening right now was a mistake. A wrong path.  
  
"W-What the hell are you talking about...? What happened?" he managed, seeds of dread slowly taking over his mind.  
  
Kurusu Akira looked at him with what could only be described as pity, but not the sympathetic kind – the condescending kind, rather. "... What a pain. It's going to take me forever to explain everything."  
  
The teenager frowned at him, making it clear he wanted answers, causing Kurusu Akira to raise his hands in a soothing way. "Fine, fine. I'll tell you, since you insist."  
  
In a swift motion, he took the notebook from Akechi Goro's hand, slid it back into his pocket, and began to talk.  
  
It seemed that after he escaped from Shidou's Palace thanks to Arsene, he went back to Leblanc, only to be greeted by Sakura Sojiro and Niijima Sae. Of course, they noticed right away the rest of the thieves were not with him, and it wasn't long before he told them the truth – that they had all died during the confrontation. They started exploding at him, blaming him for the deaths of Futaba and Makoto, and berating him for pressuring them into joining the Phantom Thieves in the first place.  
  
"Of course, I did tell them Futaba and Makoto joined the team of their own accord, but it was like talking to a brick wall." he explained, his voice sounding almost bored. "Sojiro-san was furious, but Niijima-san... she was on another level altogether. I was convinced she would snap my neck."  
  
Akechi Goro stared, mouth agape. He was dreading hearing more, but he forced himself to steel his mind. He had to know the rest.  
  
"But yeah, long story short, Sojiro-san kicked me out of Leblanc and Niijima-san promised she would make me pay. Even now, it makes my blood boil just thinking about it... it isn't like I was the one who killed them, you know?"  
  
The stare he gave Akechi Goro couldn't have been more meaningful. The young man sure didn't miss the implication, but before he could open his mouth and deny it, Kurusu Akira continued.  
  
"Anyway, I needed some place to live after that, and a classmate of mine was happy to give me shelter. Mishima... he sure was understanding, unlike them. He knew it wasn't my fault."  
  
Kurusu Akira smiled to himself – an ugly, evil smile, but quickly resumed his story upon sensing Akechi Goro's piercing stare burning into him. He spent one month with Mishima, keeping a low profile, but both boys were disheartened at the Phantom Thieves' popularity spiraling more and more into nothingness as time went on. They had Shidou Masayoshi to thank for that. The election day was drawing near, and Shidou, more popular than ever, didn't miss a single opportunity to flame the thieves, so much that soon enough, there wasn't a single person in Tokyo who had faith in them anymore. They all lapped up every single word that came from Shidou's mouth. There was no doubt he would win the election, and sure enough, near late December, Shidou Masayoshi became Prime Minister of Japan.  
  
"That bastard... who the hell does he think he is?" Kurusu Akira growled, clenching his fists at the memory. "That infuriating look of triumph on his face when he won... almost as if it was directed at me... it seriously pissed me off..."  
  
Akechi Goro stared at him, his eyes somewhat blank. He understood perfectly where Kurusu Akira was coming from. Shidou was truly a despicable man.  
But even so... he couldn't ignore the tiny voice in his head telling him there might be someone else that currently fit the description just as well, someone standing right before him... and the thought made him queasy.  
  
"At last, I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to make him swallow his words, and so I decided to return to his Palace and reform him by myself."  
  
He interrupted himself and stared down at the ground. His bangs fell over his eyes, making it impossible to tell what sort of emotion was reflected in them. And then, he looked up.  
  
"But it was right at that time... the timing couldn't have been more perfect..."  
  
Akechi Goro frowned as a hunch pierced through his brain. A hunch telling him to prepare himself for something very, very bad.  
  
"I'm sure he had something in mind when he offered me that deal, but who cares?! As far as I'm concerned, there was only benefits in accepting it! Everybody would love the Phantom Thieves again! They would treat me like a god!"  
  
Kurusu Akira had the face of a person gone mad. His eyes were wide open, and the way his lips were stretched out was not worthy of being called a smile – it was a disturbing grin at the very least.  
  
"I accepted his deal right away, of course. Really, that was a no-brainer."  
  
Akechi Goro was taken aback. He couldn't believe what he just heard. But among the astonishment eating away at his mind was a hint of curiosity – inappropriate given the situation, but he was unable to get rid of it. "... Who are you talking about...?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah." Kurusu Akira muttered listlessly, back to looking just as bored as before. "I'm talking about the guy who gave me my power."  
  
Something inside of Akechi Goro froze, and his hands started shaking. He didn't forget how baffled he had felt back then, when he found out how similar Kurusu Akira's power was to his. It actually left such a strong impression on him that he even entertained the idea of asking him directly how he got his power, only to refrain at the very last second. It wasn't far-fetched to believe that whoever gave the black-haired boy his power did the same for Akechi Goro as well. Actually, it was the most logical conclusion possible.  
  
"Who was it?! Who is that guy?!" the teenager suddenly cried out, fighting the urge to grab Kurusu Akira by the collar.  
  
The black-haired boy didn't seem particularly impressed by his outburst. His voice was colder than ever when he replied. "Why do you care? It isn't like it matters to you."  
  
Akechi Goro gasped for air as he prepared himself to retort that yes, it did, but Kurusu Akira beat him to the punch. "Anyway, the first thing I did after that was taking care of Sojiro-san and Niijima-san. They sure learned their place now. They never spoke up against me again... or against the Phantom Thieves."  
  
A chilling snicker escaped his throat, as if he was recalling a particularly pleasant memory. "And then, Shidou was next. His Shadow was so busy relishing his victory that he barely noticed me coming through and stealing his treasure."  
  
Silence filled the air. Akechi Goro could sense a sea of people around him, but it felt like they belonged to another world.  
  
"But that's really weird... he obviously lied to me, but why?" Kurusu Akira suddenly muttered to himself, a thoughtful look on his face. "I don't think he was trying to protect you... he didn't seem like the type to care much about his subordinates..."  
  
The way Akechi Goro raised an eyebrow in utter confusion convinced him to clarify. "You know, after dealing with Shidou, you were supposed to be next."  
  
A friendly smile had appeared on Kurusu Akira's lips as he spoke. Akechi Goro no longer knew how to react.  
  
"What...?" was all he eventually found to say, confusion written all over his face.  
  
"Did you really think I would let you off the hook? After the way you betrayed us all?" the black-haired boy spat, his voice suddenly way too close to a growl. "But when I asked Shidou's Shadow where you went, he told me... that you were already dead. He said that he disposed of you himself, because he no longer had any use for you."  
  
Akechi Goro hesitated, trying hard to figure out how to reply. In the end, he kept quiet.  
  
"That's why I crossed out your name on my list. But to think you were actually alive the whole time..." Kurusu Akira continued, a note of threat in his words that didn't escape the brown-haired boy. An uncomfortable silence settled around them until he eventually spoke up again. "... So yeah, that's the story. Three months passed since Shidou confessed his crimes, and now the Phantom Thieves are more popular than ever. I keep getting requests on my phone. Nobody knows I'm acting alone, of course... but that doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that everybody supports me now, and if someone happens to speak up against me, like Sojiro-san or Niijima-san... well, that's nothing a little change of heart can't fix, right?"  
  
Kurusu Akira's smile was cheerful. For Akechi Goro, it was the last straw.  
  
"W-What the hell?! Have you lost your mind?! You are basically brainwashing people into worshipping you!"  
  
"... And?" the black-haired boy asked, his fingers back to twirling his hair in an infuriatingly nonchalant way.  
  
"That's just wrong! You shouldn't ever reform someone against their will! And especially not merely because they happened to oppose you!"  
  
"Huh, that's weird. That wasn't what you said when you asked us to take you back."  
  
Kurusu Akira's voice was flat and cold. He was barely looking at him anymore. "I mean, you said you were willing to have Shidou reformed, didn't you? Oh, yeah, I guess that was a lie. I mean, we both know how it ended."  
  
"You're wrong! I wasn't lying!" Akechi Goro cried out at once, his heart back to racing in his chest. "When it came to Shidou, I knew reforming him was the only option! But... but it wasn't my only reason for wanting to join you back..."  
  
He immediately cut himself off, eyes widening as he realized he said too much.  
  
"Oh yeah? What was your other reason?" Kurusu Akira inquired, his eyes narrowing to slits.  
  
Akechi Goro looked at him. He knew there was no turning back anymore, and steeled his resolve. It was about time he was honest with his true feelings.  
  
"I just wanted to be by your side... because you... because you are my friend..."  
  
"... What did you say?" the black-haired boy asked in utter confusion.  
  
"Do you seriously need me to spell it out?!" Akechi Goro suddenly exploded, the weight of the entire conversation finally taking a toll on him. "You are the only person who has ever reached out to me! You are the only one who treated me like a normal human being, rather than some kind of idol or some blemish on the world! And you are the only one who taught me that I could become a better person... you are the only one who forgave my existence... and my crimes as well..."  
  
Kurusu Akira looked at him as though he had gone entirely insane. This only managed to fuel Akechi Goro's desperation even more.  
  
"It was right here, exactly at that spot!" he explained, gesturing frantically toward the trees nearby. "You knew what I did! And even so, you greeted me with a smile... you forgave me for everything I did to you... you even called me a friend..."  
  
Almost as a last resort, he pointed at his collar – at the silver jewels. "And I was so grateful to you that I gave you one of those... it wasn't much, but I was hoping it could show you my appreciation for you... for everything you did for me..."  
  
"Cut it out, Akechi. You're not making any sense." Kurusu Akira suddenly snapped.  
  
He crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "Seriously, what the hell are you talking about? Did you have a dream and think it was real? Or have you just lost it?"  
  
He gestured toward the jewels pinned on Akechi Goro's collar, a scoff escaping his lips. "Why would you think giving me one of those would be a good idea anyway? Like I would find some use for a stupid jewel."  
  
Akechi Goro froze. He felt his heart collapse in his chest.  
  
"Something is wrong with you, you know? There's no way I could have called you a friend. Nobody would call a monster like you a friend."  
  
The words felt like a thousand nails pounded into the young man's heart. He slowly shook his head, taking an involuntary step backward. "You're... you're not real, are you...? You are just an illusion, exactly like last time..."  
  
The black-haired boy merely shrugged in return, but Akechi Goro didn't care anymore, too busy trying to convince himself he was right. If he succeeded, this lie might become the truth. But he knew, of course, that the person facing him right now wasn't an illusion. It was the real Kurusu Akira.  
_... No, that's wrong_ , he thought. This person was real, but he was no longer the Kurusu Akira he had known. He was a completely new person, a foreigner, an impostor. Someone that shouldn't have ever existed.  
Akechi Goro's dearest friend, the real Kurusu Akira, was dead. His funeral happened four months ago.  
  
"Ah, looks like work came up." the black-haired boy muttered all of a sudden, now busy checking his phone. Akechi Goro could see the reflection of the bright screen in his eyes.  
  
"... Is the person you are going to reform a criminal...? Or somebody who merely had the nerve to criticize the Phantom Thieves?" he couldn't help but ask in spite, his voice extremely cold.  
  
"I don't think I have any obligation to tell you that." the other one retorted in much the same tone of voice. "What is it? You think what I'm doing is wrong?"  
  
The brown-haired boy peered at him, his eyes defiant. "Of course I do. Anybody would."  
  
"What did you say?!" Kurusu Akira hissed, his chest swelling with outrage, but the teenager ignored him.  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes were harsh. His brain was cluttered with emotions so intense it was a miracle it hadn't shut down yet – a cocktail of astonishment, incomprehension, sorrow, pain, and grief taking over his entire being. But there was one more emotion mingling with the rest – anger. Akechi Goro was a monstrous person, there was no denying it. He was granted a power that he knew was harmful to the rest of the world... and even so, he didn't think twice about using and abusing it for his selfish goal. It was truly a despicable act, something he wouldn't ever forgive himself for. And this is why he couldn't forgive Kurusu Akira either – because he chose to walk down the same path.  
  
"I don't understand why you became like this. Why you had to end up like me." he said, his voice calm.  
  
Suddenly, time froze. The air around them became very, very quiet.  
But eventually, something pierced the silence – a roar of rage.  
  
"End up like you?! End up like _you?!"_ Kurusu Akira repeated, his features distorted into something that didn't look really human anymore. "Don't you dare lump us together! Don't you dare compare me to a ruthless murderer like you! You disapprove of what I'm doing, but who the hell are you to judge me?! Unlike you, my hands aren't covered in blood!"  
  
Kurusu Akira was panting hard, like he had just run a marathon. He glared daggers at the brown-haired boy, whose frown stepped aside for a sad smile.  
  
"... You're right. I'm sorry." he simply replied, but his apology didn't seem to soothe the other much. That hardly mattered, though – he knew how to fix the mistake that was the Kurusu Akira standing before him.  
  
"You've gone insane... but don't worry, I promise everything will return to normal. I won't ever let you end up like this... never." he whispered while taking his phone out.  
  
And as he was about to press the ATN icon, it happened. Kurusu Akira snatched his phone away from his hand. Akechi Goro felt his stomach twist itself into a nauseating knot.  
  
"What do you think you're doing, Akechi?" he asked as he turned around and walked away a few steps from the young man, intently observing his cell phone. "Wait, don't tell me... were you thinking of going to the other world and reforming me?"  
  
A humorless chuckle escaped his lips, but Akechi Goro heard nothing. He didn't even realize how violently his entire body was shaking.  
  
"H-Hey... Give it back..." he growled, forcing his voice to sound as authoritative as possible, and realizing he had much trouble doing so.  
  
"What if I don't?"   
  
The words felt like a slap to the face. Kurusu Akira continued, waving his phone at him. "Don't be stupid, Akechi. You know Persona users can't be reformed. Or maybe you were planning to drag me to the other world and finish me off? You know, to finally complete the job?"  
  
Akechi Goro tried to deny, he really did, but no sound escaped his throat. All he could focus on was his cell phone, a tiny light glowing in the darkness.  
  
"You don't need the Otherworld Navi to go to the Palaces anymore, you know. You could summon Robin Hood and kill me right there." Kurusu Akira continued as he turned around to face him again, a cheerful smile on his lips.  
  
"Huh...?" the brown-haired boy muttered distractedly, his eyes still fixed on his phone. He knew what he had to do... but it felt almost as though a mysterious force was holding him in place.  
  
"You never figured it out during those four months?" Kurusu Akira asked in disbelief, looking at him like Akechi Goro was currently the most stupid person in the world. "You never figured out that the world around us is a Palace?"  
  
To drive his point across, he called Arsene's name, and Kurusu Akira became Joker. The smirk on his lips was particularly unpleasant. "I gotta say, I was a bit surprised when I found out, but I got used to it pretty quick–"  
  
"I couldn't care less about that! Give it back!" Akechi Goro snapped, taking one step forward.  
  
His outburst didn't seem to sit well with the black-haired boy – at all.  
  
"... Why do you care so much about your phone anyway." he said slowly, with an ominous air that sent a chill down Akechi Goro's spine. "I have no idea what you're trying to do, but I sure don't like it... I think I should take precautions, just in case..."  
  
Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. The words echoed inside the young man's head again and again, and it wasn't long before his brain made the connection. Whatever was going to happen next, he knew it was something he couldn't allow.  
  
Akechi Goro stopped thinking. He leapt toward Joker, ready to knock him down if this is what it took, and only dashed faster upon realizing the black-haired boy had dropped his phone to the ground, dangerously close to his feet. He was almost there, and this is when a cracking sound resonated in his ears, loud like a gunshot and causing him to stop dead in his tracks.  
  
Joker lifted his heel up from the cell phone, or rather from what used to be Akechi Goro's only hope. The screen was entirely shattered and desperately dark. There was absolutely no doubt it wouldn't turn on ever again.  
  
"No... this isn't real... this isn't..."  
  
All Akechi Goro got for a reply was a victorious smirk, but he didn't register it. He couldn't register anything anymore. His brain, his mind, his body – it had all shut down. He no longer felt anything, not fear, not anger, not sadness. Nothing, save for shock. But even that was little.  
  
He wasn't sure how much time had passed. Hours perhaps, or perhaps only minutes. He didn't know. He didn't care. He could barely make out what the other was telling him. It had to be some kind of taunt, he figured. Joker was probably relishing his victory over the person he considered his worst enemy, the person he believed was responsible for the deaths of his true, dearest friends. But even that painful thought hardly mattered now – because Akechi Goro was no more.


	19. Case 18 - DEPARTURE

It was strange, how quickly and abruptly someone's life could be turned upside down. How one single action could be enough to break a person into a thousand pieces.  
  
As the screen of his cell phone shattered, so did Akechi Goro's very being. Absolute emptiness, pure nothingness, utter loneliness – those were all that remained of him. He was an empty shell of a man.  
  
"Hey." the voice of Joker called, sounding like it was coming from a mile away, almost as if Akechi Goro was withdrawn from the world. But whatever Joker was telling him next didn't matter anyway. Nothing did anymore. Everything was over.  
  
It was this final thought that drained the last remnants of his strength away, and his legs couldn't support his weight anymore. He slowly fell to his knees and remained there, entirely still. The glint of life in his eyes was gone.  
  
"Are you even listening?" Joker asked in annoyance, his chin up and his eyes merciless as he gazed down at the broken machine that used to be a teenager. Akechi Goro's head was now drooping onto his chest, his expression concealed behind his bangs. He had accepted defeat.  
  
Joker clicked his tongue, but his frown of frustration quickly turned to one of wariness as the brown-haired boy's shoulders shook once, then twice... until they began shaking violently, as if he were crying.  
  
Except Akechi Goro wasn't crying at all. He was laughing out loud – the laugh of someone whose world had crumbled under their feet.  
  
"What the..." Joker mumbled to himself as he watched Akechi Goro crumpling to the ground and holding his stomach tight while he writhed with laughter. His laugh wasn't of the cheerful, or happy kind. Instead, it was an eerie, almost disturbing sound, frantic and desperate. His breathing was coming in short and quick gasps, so much that it seemed almost like he was choking. Akechi Goro was no longer sane. Kurusu Akira was long past caring.  
  
"Man, that's pathetic." he spat, something very close to disgust distorting his features. The brown-haired boy could have been filthier than dirt itself and Joker wouldn't have looked at him in any other way. Akechi Goro didn't appear to have heard him, however, prompting the other to raise his chin even higher in arrogance.  
  
"I guess you really have lost it... well, not like it–" he muttered coldly, but was cut off by a barely audible voice.  
  
"H-Hey... isn't that... isn't that funny...?"  
  
Akechi Goro hadn't looked up as he spoke. His laughter, wheezes and gasps mingling with his words made it difficult to make out what exactly he was saying.  
  
"I, I mean... I was this close... this close to erasing everything... but then, at the very last second... hah... this is... this is hilarious..."  
  
Akechi Goro was laughing so hard his ribs were starting to hurt. He was now sprawled on his side, panting for air, but his laugh didn't subside. If anything, it grew more and more intense as the minutes passed, and he barely reacted upon feeling himself being rolled onto his back. Only the sudden, strong vise-like grip on his throat managed to cut his hilarity short, and in the blink of an eye, wherever Akechi Goro's rational mind had been, it had now returned. He was back.  
  
His eyes now wide open, he instinctively grabbed Joker's wrists, struggling to break free, but the black-haired boy began to squeeze even harder. Akechi Goro desperately tried to call for help, except there was no one around them anymore – no passersby, no vehicles, nothing. The Shibuya crossroad was eerily empty. A whimper escaped his throat along with choked gasps as he frantically glanced around, but Joker's voice immediately redirected his attention to him.  
  
"Look at me. Look at my face." was what he had said, his tone extremely calm.  
  
Even as his vision began to darken and blur, Akechi Goro saw him. Maroon eyes met with grey ones, which were cold and hard, just like steel. Those eyes did not belong to the Kurusu Akira he had known. They looked almost like those of a cold-blooded, professional murderer, putting his target out of his misery... or taking his revenge. But more than the deadly grip on his throat, more than the chilling gaze stabbing his heart, what hurt the young man the most was the sudden realization that he was the one to blame for Kurusu Akira's descent into madness. If Akechi Goro had stayed behind in the engine room like he was supposed to, there would have been no dead Phantom Thieves to avenge... there would have been nothing to darken Kurusu Akira's heart, until it turned into a black, cold lump...  
  
Akechi Goro could feel the color draining from his face. He heard Joker say something, but he didn't catch any of it – his voice sounded oddly distorted, like he was listening to it from underwater. As his consciousness slowly drifted away, so did his awareness of what was going on anymore. He barely registered the thin trail of saliva dripping off his mouth, or the way Joker straddled his hips tightly, pinning him to the ground. The world around him looked like it was swimming, and his assailant's features were getting harder and harder to discern. Akechi Goro let out a strained, ragged gasp as the pressure on his throat somehow intensified even more. His eyelids felt heavy...  
  
Through half-lidded eyes, he observed Joker's features, which were devoid of any emotion. If he felt hesitation, it didn't show. It was almost funny, how Akechi Goro's cherished friend was now going to end his short life, and the young man couldn't help but give a brief, strangled laugh. It earned him a scoff of irritation, but he didn't care anymore. Eventually, he stopped squirming, and his body went limp. His hands were still wrapped weakly around Joker's wrists, but he no longer tried to tear them away from his throat. In the end, he had been wrong to believe fate wasn't set in stone – it really couldn't be defied. One way or another, it would find a way to strike back. Fate had won, and Akechi Goro had lost. There was nothing more. He slowly closed his eyes in resigned acceptance, telling himself this outcome was probably for the best.  
  
It was then that he heard those words echo through his head, words he had completely forgotten about until now.  
  
_"Are you really going to let yourself die, even though you were lucky enough to finally escape death? Are you a coward?"_  
  
In spite of the circumstances, a shot of perplexity managed to break through the white fog consuming Akechi Goro's mind. Now that he thought about it, he still had no clue what that voice had been about, or who did it belong to... or where did it come from. It was yet another mystery he had yet to solve, but it wasn't like it mattered now – not when his life was slowly slipping away, this time for real. There would be no one to save him, because in that moment, Akechi Goro was truly all alone in this world. His only friend, his only ally, was gone. All that was left was a black, endless void.  
  
_"Who is this?"_  
  
_"An ally. Now, I am aware this is going to sound strange, but your story is not over yet. Actually, it might just be beginning."_  
  
With great effort, the teenager managed to open his eyes, if only slightly. Joker's face was a blur, but he didn't pay it so much attention, too busy focusing on the memory swirling in his head. And suddenly, he saw it – the tiny speck of light at the end of the dark tunnel, waiting to be reached. Akechi Goro had been mistaken. There was one more person... there was someone who might know what to do... and while he wasn't so sure S really was an ally anymore, he was too desperate to care. Untrustworthy though they were, they were also his last hope. But how was he supposed to contact them? He remembered their number, but what use would it be, when he had no cell phone anymore?  
  
All of a sudden, Akechi Goro's eyes went wide. Very slowly, almost mechanically, he glanced down, at Joker's long coat... and then at the sheath secured around his thigh. The sheath that held his dagger.  
  
The voice was right, Akechi Goro was a coward. Letting himself die now would mean running away from his responsibilities and his past, but even worse than that, it would result in something he refused to let happen – something he knew would be his fault, if he allowed Kurusu Akira to kill him. There was no way he could ever forgive himself if this prospect were to come true.  
  
_I will never let you become a murderer... No matter what it takes..._  
  
Akechi Goro had been saved by Kurusu Akira, and now, the time had come to return the favor. It was thanks to this thought filling his heart with unbreakable resolve that he found the strength to reach for Joker's dagger as quick as lightning...  
... and drive it deep into his assailant's thigh. He could feel something hard – the femur – stop the blade halfway through.  
  
The howl of pain Joker let out didn't sound entirely human. There was something almost feral about his scream, and it was so deafening it wouldn't be surprising if the entire city had heard it. His eyes wide open, he immediately let go of Akechi Goro's neck. This was all the distraction the young man needed and, as hard as he could, he shoved Joker away, who crumpled onto his side like a rag doll, clutching his wound and writhing in agony. Akechi Goro wasn't in a much better state – he had rolled onto his knees and was gasping hard for air, his hands grasping his throat, feeling like he just swallowed thousands of needles. There was no doubt Joker had left a mark.  
  
At long last, he managed to inhale enough oxygen to calm down a bit. As he wiped the drool off his chin with his sleeve, a grunt rumbled behind him, quickly followed by a short sucking noise, prompting the teenager to glance behind his shoulder at Joker. His features twisted by pain, but also something else – pure rage, and the realization caused Akechi Goro to swallow hard – he hastily tossed the now bloody dagger away and wasted no time in calling one of his Personas, who immediately healed his wound. The murderous glint flickering in his eyes was enough for Akechi Goro to understand he should really hurry up and contact S before it was too late. He knew what he had to do. He could only hope his plan wouldn't fail... should he live long enough to set it in motion.  
  
"Dammit... I swear you're going to regret this..." Joker threatened, and the combination of his bloodshot eyes, his face covered in sweat, and his heavy breathing, made him look very much like a madman. The brown-haired boy had scarcely opened his mouth to try and calm him down when Joker yelled for Arsene to come out.  
  
"Wait! Don't–" Akechi Goro cried out, but cut himself off with a gasp as he hastily leapt out of the way, barely avoiding the spell Arsene had cast at him. Where the young man had been only a split second before was now a small crater, and for a moment, Akechi Goro just stared at it, almost transfixed. A thick trail of smoke rose from it and faded into the air, but a sudden command snapped him back to reality, and he managed by some miracle to dodge a second, violent blow.  
  
"Come on, what are you doing, hopping around like that." Joker taunted, looking very annoyed all of a sudden. "At least put up some kind of fight. Just summon Robin Hood, and–"  
  
"Why would I do that?" Akechi Goro interrupted as he frowned at him, his tense body ready to dodge whatever hit might be coming next.  
  
"What the–" the other began, a tiny hint of confusion showing on his otherwise distorted features, but was cut off yet again.  
  
"I do not want to fight you." the young man explained, forcing his voice to sound as calm as possible. "I just... want to talk."  
  
"Want to talk?" Joker repeated with a humorless snicker. "That's too bad. I don't really feel like talking right now, and especially not with _you."_  
  
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he screamed for Arsene to attack once more. Akechi Goro jumped back just in time to avoid being hit, but the shock wave of the spell threw him off-balance and he stumbled backward, onto the ground. Then, there was a flash of steel, and before his brain could make the connection, he found himself being held at knifepoint. Joker had retrieved his dagger and was now bringing it closer to the young man's throat. One more inch and it would draw blood. It was so close Akechi Goro could see his reflection in the blade. Eyes filled with fear stared back at him, but it wasn't long before they frowned in defiance.  
  
"Alright, this is getting boring." Joker snarled, his hand still and his back straight as he towered over him. "It's about damn time I got rid of you."  
  
Akechi Goro did his very best not to flinch at the chilling tone in his voice. Now more than ever, more than when he lied, more than when he killed, he needed to remain in control of his emotions. His entire plan depended on it, just like his fate and Kurusu Akira's did as well.  
  
"Killing me won't bring them back–" he reasoned, but was interrupted before he could finish.  
  
"I know that!" Joker snapped, outrage written all over his face. "I know it won't! But this is my way to avenge them... this is for betraying us... for betraying me..."  
  
The unfair accusation tore at Akechi Goro's heart, but less than the way Joker's lip quivered for a split second.  
  
"You trusted me that much, huh..." the brown-haired boy couldn't help but say quietly, momentarily forgetting about his plan.  
  
Joker gritted his teeth, looking very much like a dangerous beast. His canines were akin to fangs. "... I did. But it was stupid of me... it was because I allowed you to come back to us that you could stab us in the back again and kill them all..."  
  
Akechi Goro's first reaction was to deny, of course, but he knew he might as well talk to a brick wall. It was with an effort that he forced himself to say what he had to. "... You're right. It was stupid of you to do that."   
  
_Come on, Joker, hate me... hate me so much you would wish me a fate worse than death..._  
  
A slow drop of sweat trickled down his spine. He couldn't believe he was actually wishing for Kurusu Akira to hate him, but it appeared he managed to get what he wanted – in the blink of an eye, Joker's expression changed. He looked like he was about to choke. He brought the tip of his blade even closer to the young man's throat. Akechi Goro instinctively pulled away as far as he could, aware he was starting to really push his luck now, and truly hoped he wouldn't come to regret it.  
  
For a moment, Joker glared daggers at him, his features twisted by hatred. Yet, his voice was calm when he replied – unnaturally so. "Whatever... I will finally avenge them now... I'm sure this is what they want me to do..."  
  
"No... you're wrong." Akechi Goro replied immediately, bouncing back at the opportunity Joker had unknowingly given him. "They wouldn't want you to end up like this."  
  
"End up like what?" Joker barked with a jerk of his head, making it clear his patience was wearing thin. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the dagger, but Akechi Goro had come too far to let himself be intimidated now.  
  
"End up being a murderer, I mean." he clarified, carefully choosing his words – the words he knew would hit the hardest. "... End up like me."  
  
As expected, this statement caught Joker very much by surprise. Any trace of insanity, or even bloodthirst, was gone from his eyes. For a moment, he looked like he had no clue how to react, and eventually settled for a confused stare. Akechi Goro fought the urge to smirk in triumph.  
  
"That's... if it's for them, then it doesn't matter..." Joker stammered, but it was obvious he wasn't so sure of himself.  
  
It took him an inhuman effort, but Akechi Goro eventually managed to repress the tiny grin of amusement threatening to show on his lips. It was genuinely funny how Kurusu Akira hadn't even thought of that.  
  
"... I know how you feel." he said quietly after a short silence, earning a look of half-wariness, half-curiosity. "This desire for revenge that blinds you into doing whatever you think is necessary to achieve it... I know it all too well."  
  
The melancholy washing over his features was genuine. Joker was completely taken aback. He looked like he wanted to say something, but Akechi Goro didn't let himself be interrupted. "This is why I perfectly understand where you are coming from. I can't blame you for wanting to get rid of me... what I did is unforgivable. I feel foolish for taking so long to realize it. I am... truly sorry."  
  
Joker could only blink in surprise as Akechi Goro bowed his head as deeply as the blade allowed him to and then straightened up again, his expression showing nothing but remorse – which only served to turn the black-haired boy's confusion into full-blown fury. "What the hell?! Do you seriously think apologizing can even begin to make up for killing them?! You can bow your head all you want, I will never, ever forgive you..."  
  
"I am not asking you to forgive me." the young man reasoned patiently. "It's just... I don't want to die."  
  
"Do you think I care–"  
  
"Because dying wouldn't even begin to atone for what I did..." Akechi Goro continued, his voice louder. "But living with this guilt might."  
  
"... Huh?" Joker asked after a short pause, possibly wondering if he properly heard.  
  
"I know this may sound like I am trying to save myself, but... I really think having my head wouldn't avenge them, or even make you happy. There is another way for you to have your revenge... a way that would benefit the two of us. Because you wouldn't have to dirty your hands... and I could try and atone for my sins instead of dying like a coward..."  
  
Interpreting Joker's silence as willingness to listen, the teenager kept going. By some miracle, none of the sudden nervousness he was feeling leaked into his words.  
  
"... I was thinking of turning myself in." he explained, but was cut off by a snort before he could say more.  
  
"That's it? That's your idea? You deserve much worse than tha–"  
  
"Just think about it..." Akechi Goro interrupted, his heart starting to beat faster in his chest. It was make or break from this point onwards. "How do you think people would react if they found out the detective opposing the Phantom Thieves was actually a criminal all along? If they realized they were lied to the whole time?"  
  
The young man couldn't help but shudder at the prospect. Somewhere deep down, he wondered if death wouldn't be preferable, but he quickly put the thought at the back of his mind. "Of course, after confessing that I am a murderer and also behind the berserk incidents–"  
  
"Huh? You were the one who was making people go berserk?"  
  
Joker's eyes were little more than slits of wariness, and the brown-haired boy tensed up. Of course... in this new history, the thieves never found out who the real perpetrator behind the berserk incidents was... all they knew was that Akechi Goro had been tasked to murder their leader so as to pin the blame of the incidents on him...  
  
In any other circumstances, Akechi Goro would have cursed himself for slipping up so badly. But right now, there was really no need to – this mistake was exactly what he needed. "... Yes, that's right. And not just the berserk incidents... I had to directly dispose of several targets as well. Like Sae-san's boss, for example, or Okumura's father... because this is what Shidou wanted."  
  
The flash of hatred flickering in Joker's eyes made it easy to tell what he was thinking. _"So it was him... he killed Haru's father..."_  
  
"... And this is why after my confession, I would have to apologize to everyone who looked up to me..." Akechi Goro resumed, doing his best to maintain a neutral expression. "Just like I would have to apologize to the thieves for treating them like criminals and believing they should be taken to court, when I am really the one that should be tried..."  
  
Joker took some time to ponder those words. It seemed the idea sounded appealing to him, but his lack of answer suggested he wasn't entirely convinced yet. And so, Akechi Goro insisted. "... You hate me, don't you? Wouldn't that be the perfect revenge for you then? If I die, the truth will never come out... but if I confess, the entire world will know what I did..."  
  
A very long silence settled around the two teenagers. Akechi Goro could see Joker's face tighten when he finally spoke up. "... Something's fishy here. I have a hard time believing you are genuinely willing to go to jail. You have something in mind, don't you?"  
  
"Not at all." Akechi Goro hastily replied, praying the assurance in his voice didn't sound fake. "I told you, it's just... dying would be like taking the easy way out, and I do not want that. I want to take responsibility for my actions. And I can only do that by going to jail... by living."  
  
For several minutes that seemed to stretch on forever, Joker kept quiet. His hand holding his dagger didn't move an inch, and with a chill, Akechi Goro wondered if the black-haired boy wasn't going to disregard the conversation entirely and stab him in the throat. The world around them was a still, silent one. Only a single sound managed to force a way through and reach the young man – the sound of his own heartbeat.  
  
And when at last, the ever heightening tension became physically too much for Akechi Goro to bear... Joker spoke.  
  
"So basically, it would be as if you had been reformed... as if the Phantom Thieves had exposed you for what you really are..."  
  
The brown-haired boy blinked in surprise. Joker was sounding a bit too giddy all of a sudden.  
  
... And this was an opportunity Akechi Goro wouldn't let slip through his fingers. When he replied, he was collected. "Yes, that's right... that's probably the conclusion people would reach."  
  
A very faint smile appeared on his lips – it looked like a rueful smile, but it was really the smile of someone who knew he was about to win. "I didn't feel it at first, but the guilt eventually became too unbearable. I was on my way to the police station before I met you here."  
  
"... Really?" Joker asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.  
  
"Yes. But when I saw you, I realized... I realized I wanted you to be the one to turn me in. It would be my way to apologize to you... and to them as well. In fact, I was planning to call the police and give you my phone before you... you know..."  
  
Not a single trace of guilt showed on the black-haired boy's face at the reminder. It wasn't emotionless, however – Akechi Goro could practically hear the gears inside of Joker's head grinding. He was almost there... all he needed was one final push...  
  
"So... call them. The police, the news... anyone. Tell them everything you know about me. Tell them I confessed, that I want to turn myself in... and that I am ready to accept whatever punishment awaits me. Because I know this is what I deserve."  
  
For a moment, Joker's features remained completely unreadable. But then, the tiniest of grins showed on his face, and very slowly, he put his weapon away. Akechi Goro's heart leapt in his chest. "... If I do that, your life will be finished. The entire city will hate you, you know? The police's reputation will be ruined because of their connection to you, and I bet the media who loved you so much won't think twice about dragging you through the mud. Killing you might be doing you a favor, compared to this."  
  
The longer he went on, the wider his grin was. He seemed awfully pleased with the prospect he was describing. "Yeah, you're right, that really might be what you deserve... it would be the perfect way to avenge them..."  
  
And after several seconds that felt like excruciating hours, he finally said the words Akechi Goro had wanted so desperately to hear.  
  
"Alright then... I'll give the police a call."  
  
A shot of adrenaline rushed through the brown-haired boy's veins as he saw Joker return to his civilian self. His heart was pounding like it had never pounded before. His eyes opened so wide upon seeing Kurusu Akira dial the police's number that they made him look nearly psychotic. His plan had worked.  
  
The young man stood up and took a step forward that the black-haired boy didn't notice, for someone finally answered his call. Kurusu Akira opened his mouth, but never got the opportunity to speak – because Akechi Goro took advantage of his distraction to lunge at him as he raised his left fist...  
... and punched him so hard it sent him flying onto the ground. Either Kurusu Akira had been knocked unconscious upon landing or was simply too stunned by the force of the impact, but he didn't try and get up. He remained there sprawled on the concrete, a huge bruise darkening on his face by the minute. It was likely Akechi Goro had shattered his jaw.  
  
Muttering an apology under his breath – although a spiteful part of him couldn't help but savor the satisfaction that came with punching the one who refused to believe in his innocence no matter what – the young man hastily reached for Kurusu Akira's cell phone, which had dropped onto the ground as well, and abruptly hung up. With a great sigh of relief, he allowed himself to relax a little. He finally had it... he could contact S now...  
  
A faint groan of pain cut his inner celebration short, and whatever tension had left his body returned nearly just as fast. Kurusu Akira stirred weakly, and that was enough for Akechi Goro to decide he really didn't want to stick around any longer – unless he had a death wish, that is. He slid the phone into his pocket and without further ado, he spun around and ran away, putting as much distance as possible between them. His sprint eventually slowed down until he stopped, bringing his hands to his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Only when he finally recovered did he notice the streets were back to being as lively as ever. But, as Akechi Goro took some time to glance around in wariness, his eyesight lingering on the passersby's faces, he couldn't help but feel somewhat uneasy. Men, women, children, they all looked as normal as could be... and yet, something felt wrong. The atmosphere was strange... almost eerie. Different from the one he grew accustomed to, and he had a feeling he knew as to why.  
  
The realization fueled his resolve even more, and he hastily dialed S' number – he didn't have time to bother with text messages anymore – but before he could press the "Call" button, something happened. There was a great deal Akechi Goro hadn't planned, but then again, nobody could have been prepared for that.  
  
Far ahead, he could see the giant screens of the Shibuya crossroad. The TV report they broadcast had been replaced by static, which took only seconds to step aside for the logo of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. It wasn't only those screens, however – every single TV around him, from those used as billboards to the ones displayed in the shop windows, showed the same picture – and a voice rang out from them all. It sounded as though a hundred people were speaking in unison, but it was really one person that was addressing Tokyo.  
  
"This is a message from the Phantom Thieves of Hearts..." Kurusu Akira – Joker – announced, his voice distorted, and for a moment, Akechi Goro forgot to breathe. "We would really appreciate it if you could spare us some of your attention. It won't take long."  
  
"Hey, it's the Phantom Thieves!" someone exclaimed behind him, but he barely heard, too captivated by the screens. A crackle of static was shaking the logo from time to time.  
  
"I wonder what they want... it's been a while since the last time they showed up on TV like that." a feminine voice remarked, and another one immediately chimed in.  
  
"They hijacked the TV signal, didn't they? Something big must have happened!"  
  
Akechi Goro didn't share their excitement. It took him a moment to become aware of the sickening sense of dread settling deep in the pit of his stomach.  
  
_What the hell... How did he recover so fast..._  
  
No, that wasn't important now, he chided himself. The fact Joker had hijacked the TV signal so easily sounded much more concerning to him.  
... But perhaps he didn't hijack anything at all. Perhaps the TV station was willingly broadcasting his message... as if to show their support to the thieves...  
  
Joker continued, effectively snapping him out of his thoughts. His tone was slow and impassive. He sounded... almost bored. "We, the Phantom Thieves, are responsible for stealing the hearts of criminals. Thanks to our actions, the crime rate in Tokyo has significantly decreased... and it is all thanks to your help. Thank you for letting us know about all the corrupt people who deserve to pay for their crimes. And now, we need your help once more."  
  
"Huh? Our help?"  
  
"What do they mean?"  
  
"Shh! Just listen!"  
  
The longer the message went on, the bigger and more agitated the crowd was. There was something disturbing about the glint in their eyes.  
  
"As you all know, Shidou Masayoshi, candidate to the position of Prime Minister, was found guilty of conspiracy to get elected three months ago." Joker said, earning a few nods of remembrance in response. "He was the mastermind behind all the incidents that shook Tokyo those past months... the berserk incidents, and several unexplained deaths as well. Okumura Kunikazu's comes to mind."  
  
A murmur rose from the human sea. It seemed they all perfectly recalled what Joker was talking about. And then... the unthinkable happened.  
  
"But, while he was the mastermind, he didn't actually commit those crimes by his own hand. Someone else did."  
  
Something inside of Akechi Goro stopped. His body didn't, however. His legs were shaking so much it was a wonder he managed not to collapse.  
  
"And we bet you will never guess his identity, even though you are probably all familiar with him." Joker said almost casually as a picture of the brown-haired boy's own face replaced the logo of the thieves. Around him, some people gasped. "That's right... we're talking about Akechi Goro."  
  
Akechi Goro could hear it. He could hear the cruel smirk showing in Joker's voice. "That's really a shame. To think the charismatic detective that managed to captivate the entire nation, the genius prince who effortlessly solved cases one after another, was really a criminal all along... a liar, a faker, a murderer, a real bad guy."  
  
The world felt like it had slowed to a crawl. All sounds ceased. Joker's message kept going, but Akechi Goro heard nothing. Slowly, almost out of their own volition, his hands pressed against the sides of his head. Try as he might, he couldn't steady his breathing – it was too irregular, too fast. Something inside his stomach convulsed. No, his stomach itself did.  
  
"Akecchi... it isn't true, is it...?"  
  
The teenager felt like somebody had forced him awake with a whiplash. As if his body was guided by a superior force, he turned around to face the girl who spoke. The girl he met eons ago, when he was investigating Okumura's disappearance, the girl who seemed to adore him... and whose adoration was now being put to the test.  
She wasn't the only one to have recognized him. Around her, people stared at him, their gaze strange and their expressions undecipherable. A shiver ran down Akechi Goro's back.  
  
"I... I..." he stammered, but could think of nothing to say. The paralysis that had claimed his body had now reached his brain. He could feel more and more pairs of eyes on him, incapacitating him, overpowering his ability to think, reducing him to a mindless machine that was close to breaking down.  
  
Refusing to accept this outcome, his instinct took over. As if suddenly freed from a magic spell, he managed to regain control over his limbs and sprinted away without so much as a word, fast like a speeding bullet. It wasn't long before he found himself in a narrow alley, and allowed himself to stop and catch his breath only upon realizing nobody was chasing him. Sighing in relief, he closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, his heart pounding hard inside his chest. His rest was short-lived, however – Joker was still going. While his voice sounded more distant than earlier, the young man could still make out everything he was saying. But a part of him wished he couldn't.  
  
"So, I am asking you again... find him. Catch him, and let us know when you did. This is the Phantom Thieves' request. I am sure it won't take long if everybody pulls their weight. The entire police force will help you, too."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes snapped open. He couldn't believe what he just heard. This had to be a lie – the entire population seemed to be at his feet, no doubt, but Joker couldn't have even the police at his beck and call, he couldn't. Unless he...  
  
_This can't be happening... This must be some kind of sick joke..._  
  
The young man squeezed his eyes shut again, desperately trying to convince himself, only to fail utterly at doing so. It looked like his plan had worked a little too well. Joker didn't merely hate him – he loathed him with every last fiber of his being, and seemed determined more than ever to make him pay the ultimate price. The last words he spoke before the message stopped were evidence enough.  
  
"Now then... Let the manhunt begin." he declared almost solemnly, his grin audible in his tone. A crackle of static followed his statement, quickly overpowered by the chatter of the crowd. They sounded excited.  
  
In any other circumstances, Akechi Goro would have probably chuckled – or rolled his eyes – at Joker's familiar grandiloquence, but right now, he wasn't in much of a mood to laugh. Actually, he felt more like throwing up in fear. He glanced down at his pocket, where Kurusu Akira's cell phone was. He couldn't stay here... he had to go somewhere safe, a place where he could speak to S without running into a mob that seemed a bit too eager to fulfill Joker's wish...  
He didn't have to wonder long at what his destination was. His home was a twenty minutes walk from his current position... at a run, he might be able to make it in ten...  
  
Akechi Goro had scarcely taken a step when somebody called out to him, causing him to freeze on the spot. He remembered that voice... it belonged to...  
  
"If it isn't the Detective Prince... or rather the Lying Prince." the Shujin student taunted ominously, the one he had met during the school festival. Just like back then, he was tall and muscular – perhaps even more.  
  
Almost mechanically, Akechi Goro turned to face him, trying to ignore the unpleasant layer of sweat that covered every last inch of his skin.  
  
"W-What do you want..." he asked, his voice trembling as much as his body, but he felt like he already knew the answer.  
  
Sure enough, the other confirmed his hunch. "Come on, you don't need me to tell you that. You heard the Phantom Thieves' message, didn't you? They promised a great reward if someone could catch you. Not that I care, of course. Just being useful to the thieves is more than enough for me."  
  
He stepped forward, and Akechi Goro couldn't help but recoil. "So... you will come with me, right? Since you'll end up being caught no matter what, you might as well surrender now, don't you think?"  
  
The look on the student's face wasn't that of an adolescent. It was more akin to that of... a hunter.  
  
"Stay back... don't come any closer..."  
  
Even as he spoke, Akechi Goro took a step backward, then another, shaking his head slowly in utter disbelief all the while... until he spun around and ran, aware his fate entirely depended on it.  
  
"Looks like you want to do this the hard way, huh?! You're not going anywhere!" he heard the student yell behind him, but it only served to fuel his desperation even more. Forcing himself to ignore the stitch digging painfully at his side, he raced down the alleys, which looked almost like a maze of narrow streets. He took a right, turning so fast he nearly lost his balance, and had to throw a hand to the ground to steady himself and avoid crashing down. He felt like he had been running for hours, but the chase actually didn't last long. His pursuer, light on his feet, was following closely behind. He was faster.  
  
"... Gotcha!"  
  
And before the young man could even begin to process the shout, he suddenly found himself being tackled to the ground and kept pinned there. The taller teenager had landed on him so violently Akechi Goro was convinced it was a miracle he hadn't broken something vital in the process. But, this prospect might very well come true any moment if he didn't get him off his back as soon as possible – the weight pressing down on him was so heavy he could almost feel his ribs and his spine begin to crack.  
  
"Man, I'm so lucky I managed to catch a glimpse of you during the broadcast." the student exulted as he shifted a bit, crushing the young man even more, but his smirk of triumph quickly turned to a look of annoyance upon noticing how fiercely his prey was struggling. With a click of the tongue, he twisted Akechi Goro's arm hard behind his back. The scream of pain that ensued didn't seem to faze him much. "Hey, stop struggling. If you don't, you'll regret it."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't stop. He squirmed frantically, desperate to break free, but to no avail – he was entirely restrained. But just as he kept at it still, a second, violent pull on his arm suddenly sent to his brain a jolt of pain so intense it nearly knocked him unconscious, causing his body to immediately go limp. But along with the pain, something else had traveled to his brain – pure anger, so overpowering he could feel it taking over him, consuming every last cell in his body, coursing through his veins. His blood, which had turned to ice, felt now hot again. Boiling hot...  
  
"That's more like it. If you start acting up again, I'll break your arm." the student said casually, and Akechi Goro didn't think for even a moment this was an empty threat. "So... do you feel like cooperating now–"  
  
"... off of me..."  
  
The assailant blinked in surprise. With his free hand, he grabbed a fistful of the young man's hair and pulled his head roughly toward him, earning a hiss of pain. "What was that? Speak up, I can't hear you."  
  
"I said get the fuck off of me, you bastard! Loki!" Akechi Goro screamed, and his other self wasted no time in answering his call. The student hastily pulled his hand away from the teenager's head – now safely protected by his helmet – as if it had caught fire. But judging by the way he looked up, his eyes wide with terror, it was Loki's appearance that unhinged him the most, not the dark outfit materializing out of nowhere.  
  
"H-H-Holy shit, what the hell is that?!" he stuttered while getting up in a flash, transfixed at the scene. All he got for an answer was a white-hot sword thrown in his direction, which landed only inches away from his feet, getting stuck in the concrete. The shriek he let out as he toppled backward to the ground didn't match his imposing build.  
  
Meanwhile, Akechi Goro leapt back up and took off at a run, without ever looking back. It was only when he could see the narrow alleys ending as they met with the wide streets that he called Loki back into his heart, his suit immediately dissolving into his school uniform again. His legs were moving so fast it felt almost as though he had no control over them any longer – as though they had a mind of their own. His body was screaming at him to stop, begging for a break, but he didn't listen. He couldn't listen, not when his apartment building was finally in sight.  
  
The realization snuffed out the extreme ache in his muscles as well as his exhaustion. All that was left was adrenaline, fueling his limbs almost like they had been cured from a particularly virulent poison. People glared at him as he shoved them out of the way, but he was too fast for their yells to reach him and, at long last, Akechi Goro crossed the finishing line. He entered the building and ran up the stairs like an unstoppable ram, almost tripping on the way, until he very nearly collided with his front door. His hand dove into his pocket for his key, but he was shaking so much it took him several long seconds to insert it into the keyhole. With a click that sounded almost like heaven to his ears, he finally felt the door unlock and practically threw himself into his hallway, wasting no time in locking the door behind him. He didn't bother switching on the lights, but he didn't need to anyway – the sunlight filtering in through the half-open shutters was more than enough. The parquet and the walls were flecked with specks of light.  
  
Akechi Goro's hand moved like lightning as he took the phone out and dialed S' number again. Seconds later, he listened anxiously to the beeping while waiting for them to answer his call. It sounded as loud as a gunshot in the silence around him.  
  
And after an eternity that really lasted a matter of seconds, the beeping stopped. Somebody picked up the phone, but they said nothing. Akechi Goro felt like he was minutes away from going mad with the anticipation. And so, he spoke up first.  
  
"Uh, hello? This is Akechi..." he muttered, feeling very awkward all of a sudden. Texting S was one thing, but speaking to them directly felt... strange. Almost surreal, in fact.  
  
"Yes, I know. I am glad you managed to make it in one piece. You really have a talent for getting yourself in trouble, don't you?"  
  
_This isn't exactly a talent I am proud of,_ Akechi Goro thought, but he didn't linger on S' jab too long. Something else caught his attention much more – their voice. Her voice.  
  
"So you're a woman, huh..." he said quietly, not really sure what to make of this new information.  
  
"That's right. I am."  
  
For some reason, Akechi Goro couldn't help feeling a bit intimidated, but forced himself not to show it. Figuring he could deal with the revelation later, he changed the subject to the one that currently mattered the most. "Um, you know, right? You know what happened..."  
  
"I do. You lost the Another Time Navi."  
  
There was no hint of reproach in S' voice. She was merely stating a fact. Even so, Akechi Goro instinctively flinched. "You're not... angry?"  
  
"Why would I be?" she replied, her tone calm. Sensing the young man's hesitation, she clarified. "You cannot be blamed for what happened. And besides, what matters the most is that you are safe and sound. Don't worry about the application."  
  
In that moment, the teenager was convinced S had lost her mind.  
  
"What the hell are you saying?!" he snapped immediately, not out of anger, but extreme anguish. "What am I supposed to do now that I don't have the ATN anymore?!"  
  
"I told you, it's alright. Your safety is much more impor–"  
  
"Well I am not going to be safe much longer if I don't find a way to fix this mess! Because of me, Joker has, has gone completely insane! Just like Sakamoto that one time!"  
  
Akechi Goro was practically screaming at the phone. His entire body was shaking like a leaf caught in a violent storm.  
  
"Calm down." S commanded, her voice way too collected given the urgency of the situation. For several moments, the young man was utterly taken aback, but it wasn't long before his dread returned, crashing onto him like a tidal wave.  
  
"Calm down? _Calm down?!_ How the hell can I calm down?! Right now, the entire city is out for my blood! Just, just what am I doing wrong?! How come each new history I find myself in seems to get even worse than the previous one?!"  
  
To Akechi Goro, this question, as well as his shock, was legitimate. While S didn't seem too fazed by the circumstances, he couldn't stop himself from flooding her with his plight anyway, as if to convince her how foolish she was for not treating the situation with the proper concern. He couldn't keep it to himself anymore, he needed it, he needed someone to listen and bear with the feelings he had kept bottled up for so long. With each word he spoke, some weight lifted from his shoulders.  
  
"And the worst part is, I know this is all my fault! It's because I was too careless that Joker could break my phone! It's my fault he turned out like this in the first place! If I had stayed behind in the engine room like I was supposed to–"  
  
"You would have died. Is that what you wanted? Giving up on life and allowing yourself to die like a coward?"  
  
S' words were harsh, but her voice was not cruel. In fact, she sounded more disappointed than malicious, almost _sad._ But this time, Akechi Goro didn't recoil. He could have, if he didn't freeze entirely in place.  
  
"No way... that voice in my head, it was... you...?"  
  
For a moment, all he could think about was how the hell it took him so long to make the connection. But now that he heard S say practically the same words, there was absolutely no mistaking it – her voice matched exactly the one he had heard in the engine room, on the day when everything began...  
  
"Yes, it was me. Actually, I am the one who saved you back then."  
  
"Saved me...?" he repeated, his mind so cluttered with thoughts it felt like it was about to shut down. "You mean..."  
  
"Yes, from the sinking ship." she clarified, although she didn't need to.  
  
Akechi Goro blinked several times, like he had trouble understanding her. "But... why?"  
  
S didn't answer right away, as if taking the time to carefully choose her words. When at last, she spoke, her voice sounded almost... remorseful. "Because you were a necessary part in my plan."  
  
"... Huh?"  
  
Akechi Goro was at a loss for words. He just stood there, his mind scrambling to make sense of what he just heard. But before S could elaborate, a sudden shattering sound resonated in the room, causing him to jump. His heart feeling like it was about to burst, he immediately looked straight ahead at the window, now entirely shattered. In the middle was a sharp hole, and he didn't take long to trace its source to a small rock now lying on the floor, a few feet away from him. But more peculiar was the small piece of paper tied to it.  
  
The young man mechanically put the phone on a small table nearby. Almost hesitantly, he approached the rock, and slowly picked it up. His hands started shaking uncontrollably, as if he already knew what he was about to uncover, and it was with great effort that he managed to unfold the paper and read its content. Only a second passed before he came to regret his decision.  
  
_Get ready! I'm coming to get you!_  
  
For several moments, all he could do was stare. He wasn't even sure he properly understood the words. The joke was really, really going too far...  
  
Akechi Goro's head spun. He let go of the note and staggered backward a few steps, pressing a hand hard against half of his face. No amount of deep breaths could reduce his heart rate to normal. Only one thing could...  
  
"You, you saw that, didn't you?!" he practically shrieked once he retrieved the phone. "Please, just tell me how I can fix all of this! You must know, right?! You must!"  
  
The desperation in Akechi Goro's voice was palpable. He was practically begging.  
  
"Well, the easiest solution would be to erase this history." S suggested, and the casual tone in her voice only served to ignite a spark of irritation in the teenager's heart.  
  
"And how the hell am I supposed to do that?! I can't go back in time anymo–"  
  
"You can."  
  
"–if I could, of course I would do it right aw– wait, what?"  
  
Suddenly, Akechi Goro's body went entirely still. Very slowly, he looked up, staring off in the distance as his brain took a very long time to process what S had said. It was almost as though it was working in slow-motion.  
  
"Wait, what...?" he repeated in utter astonishment, his eyes round like those of a child being told he would be brought to the amusement park – and not believing it.  
  
A brief silence fell over him before S clarified. The tiny, almost inaudible sigh of relief she let out seemed to suggest she was glad the teenager had finally calmed down a bit, and when she spoke, she sounded patient.  
  
"It's been a long time, so it is understandable that you forgot about it..." she said quietly, earning a gasp of realization in response. "I told you, remember? That there was a way to go back in time without the Another Time Navi."  
  
For a moment, all Akechi Goro could do was gape. The memory he thought long forgotten had hit him head-on like a giant hammer.  
  
"I, I remember... you did say something like that..." he whispered, his voice shaking with agitation, and also with a note of something else – excitement. He could go back... he could fix everything again...  
  
But the spark of hope that had ignited inside Akechi Goro's heart very nearly fizzled as another memory suddenly resurfaced from the depths of his mind. He wasted no time in sharing his concern. "But... you also said it was a very tedious process..."  
  
"That's right. This method requires you to fulfill a condition first." S explained, and just like that, the sparkle in the young man's eyes was gone. That is, until something rekindled it again – she wasn't finished. "But this isn't a problem anymore. You have already fulfilled the condition."  
  
"R-Really...?" the teenager asked, and for the first time in what felt like forever, his heart felt light again.  
  
"Yes. And with this method, you are free to travel wherever you wish. It sure is more convenient than being sent to a random point of your past, isn't it?"  
  
Akechi Goro blinked once, then twice, gears grinding inside his brain until he could hear something click. The short bliss he experienced stepped aside for a jolt of outrage. "What the... if this is true, then why the hell didn't you tell me about this right away? What was the point of using the ATN?"  
  
The young man shook his head, torn between extreme distress and ever-growing frustration. "I mean, I know the Palace appeared somewhere in April 2016, but I couldn't even try and prevent its creation because the damn app just wouldn't send me to that specific period of time! It always sent me way earlier, or way afterwards!"  
  
"You got it all wrong. The application wouldn't have helped you undo the Palace."  
  
Akechi Goro could have been hit by lightning and the result would have been the same. He was so stunned it took him several seconds to recover. "What...? But... but you said..."  
  
"I'm sorry. I haven't been entirely honest with you..."  
  
S' voice was leaking with guilt and remorse. But there was something else as well – something the teenager couldn't put his finger on. "It's true, it was because of me that you believed the application was the key to undo the giant Palace."  
  
A wave of nausea washed over the teenager. Whatever weight had lifted from his heart earlier was now crushing it down again. "No way... don't tell me... that was a lie...?"  
  
S didn't answer immediately. He could hear her swallow before finally speaking up. "... Forgive me. It was."  
  
Akechi Goro felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. He couldn't think straight anymore. His mind was entirely blank. That is, until S' next words brought back a jolt of a specific emotion he had completely forgotten about – bitterness.  
  
"Of course, I had my reasons for tricking you into using the application–"  
  
"Because you knew I wouldn't use it if I knew the truth, right? Just like you conveniently forgot to tell me that it would slowly kill me each time I used it?"  
  
Akechi Goro's tone was harsh and ice cold. His clenched teeth made him look almost like an angry animal.

Judging by S' collected reply, she didn't seem particularly fazed by the sudden venom in his words. She had probably expected him to react this way. "The application wouldn't have killed you, but it is true it puts a great strain on the user. I am sorry for telling you that you would get used to it, but there was no other way. I had to have you use the application no matter what."  
  
"Why?! What is so important about it that you would manipulate me into doing whatever you wanted?! You basically said there was no point in using it!"  
  
"I never said that." S immediately replied, probably sensing how Akechi Goro was currently little more than a human cherry bomb. "I just said the Another Time Navi wouldn't have helped you undo the giant Palace. Directly, at least."  
  
This was the last straw. Akechi Goro could take no more. "Just stop talking in riddles all the damn time! What does–"  
  
"It was a necessary step. It was to fulfill the condition."  
  
The young man opened his mouth to ask S what the hell she was talking about, but nearly instantaneously realized he had no need to – he already knew. "You mean... the condition for using the other method?"  
  
"That's right." S confirmed, seemingly relieved he was in the mood to listen. "You could have used the other method without using the Another Time Navi first, but... I couldn't let that happen. This is why I didn't tell you about it when we first met."  
  
Silence filled the room for what felt like hours. The extreme seriousness in S' words almost entirely drowned out the teenager's anger. At last, he could no longer contain his curiosity. "What would have happened if I did use that method anyway...?"  
  
"... You would have died."  
  
Akechi Goro blinked once, then twice, utterly stunned. "... What?"  
  
"Let me explain." S declared, her voice suddenly sounding almost like that of a businesswoman discussing a strategy. "While traveling in time using the other method allows you to go wherever you wish, it is an extremely dangerous process. You are not meant to travel through time, and doing so anyway would result in a strain so intense your body would basically shut down from the inside, killing you on the spot."  
  
The young man swallowed hard. What S was describing sounded particularly unpleasant.  
  
"The Another Time Navi, however, isn't dangerous. Well, it does put a strain on you, but it isn't lethal. I know how frustrated you felt when you were being sent around randomly, but the destination actually never mattered. What mattered wasthe number of times you used the application."  
  
_What...?_  
  
"The... number of times...?" he repeated almost robotically.  
  
"That's right. By using the application again and again, you were training your body to endure the blow that would come with using the other method. I know this might be hard to believe, what with you getting weaker each time you used the Another Time Navi, but trust me, it was working."  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't believe his ears. What S was saying was utterly insane, but even more insane was how much sense her past behavior now seemed to make. "So that's why you were so pushy when I didn't use the ATN right away after Okumura's Palace appeared..." _Because I was basically wasting time..._  
  
"I was? I'm sorry... I didn't mean to be." she apologized, her tone difficult to decipher.  
  
S let out a small sigh of relief. It soon became clear that she wasn't feeling as collected as she pretended to be. "In any case, you are not as unlucky as you think you are. If you had lost the Another Time Navi sooner, then everything would have been over. But your last trip back in time just happened to be the final push you needed. Your body should be able to endure going back in time using the other method now. Well, for one trip, at least."  
  
Akechi Goro had thousands of questions storming in his brain, but all he could focus on was the one triggered by S' last statement. "One trip...?"  
  
"Yes, one trip. One chance."  
  
She spoke casually, but her words echoed somewhat ominously in the teenager's ears.  
  
"Then I can't afford to make a mistake... I have to think carefully where I should go back to..." he whispered slowly, his heart starting to beat like a drum.  
  
"Yes, but there is something else you must think about first." S replied patiently. "I am talking about figuring out what you should really do."  
  
"What I should really do..." the teenager repeated, a faraway look in his eyes. "I..."  
  
Akechi Goro thought the answer to that was easy, but S' declaration left him entirely stumped.  
  
"Well, I have to undo the giant Palace..." he said hesitantly after a while, his mind still having trouble catching up with everything he just learned.  
  
There was a brief pause before S replied. What she said was just about the last thing he had expected to hear. "Why are you so intent on undoing the Palace?"  
  
Akechi Goro was entirely caught off-guard. The answer was obvious, and S knew it. "Because I want to break the thieves free from it... it was you who told me about them being trapped in the first place!"  
  
"But you had an ulterior motive, didn't you?" she asked in return, but didn't let the young man reply. "You thought breaking them free could atone for what you did. You thought it would be the only way for you to be granted redemption. Am I wrong?"  
  
The teenager couldn't help but flinch for the second time. Put it that way, his motivation for helping the thieves sounded extremely selfish, more than he cared to admit. He could feel his stomach begin to tense. "Well, that's..."  
  
"I am not judging you. In fact, I perfectly understand where you are coming from." S interrupted, her words sounding sincere. "The path to redemption is not an easy one, however."  
  
Her voice trailed off, almost deliberately. She wasn't finished, Akechi Goro was sure of it.  
  
"Of course, you would have no need for redemption if you never committed any crime in the first place..."  
  
S' words had been carefully chosen, no doubt. If she was the fisherwoman, then her statement was the bait, and Akechi Goro was the fish... with a hook in his mouth.  
  
"You mean... I can go back to...?" he stammered, still having trouble believing what was happening anymore.  
  
"Think carefully. What is the source of all your problems? When did everything begin?"  
  
The atmosphere in the room changed. A cold drop of sweat ran down Akechi Goro's back. His body felt strange, and his mind was little more than a nebulous haze. Far away, however, he could see it. A silhouette in the distance, growing more and more vivid and distinct... the silhouette of the person who had made his life a living hell...  
  
Shidou. He was the problem to nip in the bud. If Akechi Goro dealt with him before everything began, then...  
  
"That's right. And now, you can go back and do what you have to."  
  
S sounded calm, but something else seemed to echo through her voice. Akechi Goro perked up at those words, only for his eyes to suddenly dull just as fast as they had lit up. "But, even if I do that... it wouldn't prevent the creation of the Palace..."  
  
"I think it would, actually." S said evasively, but Akechi Goro would have none of it.  
  
"How can you be so sure?"   
  
"Let's just say I have a hunch." she replied, causing the teenager to let out a groan of frustration. "I strongly believe that taking care of Masayoshi before everything began might very well be the solution to all your problems. I am talking about what you used to be, of course, but also about the current situation. It would be like killing two birds with one stone, in a way."  
  
Akechi Goro was taken aback, and it wasn't because of S' assurance.  
  
_Masayoshi...?_  
  
"In fact, I also suspect that dealing with him could prevent even the very existence of the other world. There would be no Palaces anymore... and no Personas as well." she continued, but Akechi Goro didn't catch the implication just yet.  
  
"... So, have you realized what you must do?" she asked in a gentle tone of voice after a short pause, snapping him out of his thoughts. The teenager shook his head, deciding it would be best to push his puzzlement at the back of his mind for now. He put the phone away from his ear for a minute, observing the screen. The Otherworld Navi icon was flickering in a way that was almost hypnotizing.  
  
"Yes... I have." he eventually replied, his words sounding much firmer than he expected – in spite of the enormity of the realization that just crossed his mind. "But to think I could have ended it all so much sooner... why was I such an idiot..."  
  
"What do you mean?" S immediately inquired, genuinely curious.  
  
"The first time I used the ATN, it brought me two and a half years back, before everything began... I could have dealt with Shidou then, and everything would have been over already..."  
  
S took a moment to reply. He swore he heard a note of tension in her words when she eventually spoke. "... Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have known. You didn't even realize you had traveled in time back then."  
  
Akechi Goro's shoulders slumped. She was clearly doing her best to comfort him, but he couldn't pretend it was especially effective. "It's true, but..."  
  
With a great sigh, he forced himself to forget about his negligence. There wasn't much he could do about it anymore. "Whatever... let's get this over with already."  
  
But even as he spoke, a sudden arrow of realization pierced his brain, and his eyes opened wide. "Hey, wait a minute...!"  
  
"What is it?" S asked, apparently caught off-guard.  
  
"If I deal with Shidou right at the start, it will completely change history, right?!"  
  
"... Yes, it will. You won't be a criminal anymore, since you never put yourself at his disposal in the first place. It will be a new future."  
  
"But... but that also means..."  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't bring himself to finish the thought. When S spoke, she gave words to the source of his sudden distress. "... That's right. You crossed paths with the Phantom Thieves only because of your connection to your father, and if Masayoshi isn't there anymore, then..."  
  
The teenager felt his heart collapse in his chest. What little strength he still had left him with the confirmation and he slowly fell to the floor, leaning against his front door. He couldn't accept this. Akira...  
  
S stayed silent, perhaps because she simply didn't know what to say, or as if to respect the mourning of a man who lost everything. It was difficult to tell. The seconds felt like hours. A huge lump had found its way into the teenager's throat, giving him the impression he was being strangled. His chest was tight, so tight it felt painful. A maelstrom of emotions crashed down onto him with unthinkable violence. Among the wave, there was only misery, grief, and despair. He didn't want this. He wanted to see him again...  
  
But, a tiny voice asked, wasn't it because he desperately kept clinging onto what he believed was happiness that his life was nothing but a series of disasters? He should know better – he had learned it the hard way, after all.  
  
Akechi Goro shook his head, and couldn't help but wonder in return – was it that wrong of him to want to be happy? Was it really a mistake to seek out happiness?  
  
The reminder of what happened the last time he used the Another Time Navi suggested that yes, it was. His entire body drooped in reaction. Perhaps a superior entity was trying to send him a message, and was only retaliating furiously upon realizing Akechi Goro refused to take the hint. But now, he finally understood. He knew he was being unreasonable. He knew he couldn't afford to repeat the same mistake again and again. If he wasn't meant to be happy, then there was nothing he could do about it. And so, Akechi Goro gave up on happiness.  
  
"... I suppose I don't have much of a choice anyway, now do I?"  
  
His voice had been little above a whisper. He didn't have the strength to raise his voice – it took him an inhuman effort to even speak. His heart was screaming how much it didn't want this, how much it wanted to experience happiness instead, and for a moment, he almost yielded to his wish, only to shake his head furiously, clearing his mind. No, what Akechi Goro wanted didn't matter anymore. What mattered was what he had to do.  
  
His resolve set in stone, he patiently waited for S' reply. He figured she would be happy that he finally made up his mind, perhaps relieved he didn't turn her down. Her actual reaction was close to the last thing he had expected.  
  
"You've grown..."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't immediately register what she just said. More than the words themselves, it was the unmistakable hint of fondness in them that stunned him the most. "... Huh?"  
  
"You know this isn't what you want but even so, you chose to sacrifice yourself to do what you believe is right. Yes, you've grown so much... into a selfless, very noble young man."  
  
In that moment, Akechi Goro truly was at a loss for words like he had never been before. He had no idea what to make of what he just heard. His brain was so busy scrambling to find an appropriate answer that it took him a moment to realize how furiously he was blushing. He was used to being complimented, but with S... something felt different. It was almost like experiencing something for the very first time. Usually, he would dismiss his admirers with a smile, a tiny feeling of pride swelling in his chest, but right now, rather than pride, it was embarrassment that was washing over him like a strong waterfall. Something about those words made him feel vulnerable, and he wasn't sure he liked it so much.  
  
"Y-Yeah, I wasn't exactly the most selfless person back then, was I?" he said with an awkward chuckle, desperately trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, but there was no hiding the genuine nervousness in his voice.  
  
S said nothing in return, but he could practically sense her smiling at the end of the line. Akechi Goro decided it would be best to change the subject.  
  
"I'll... I'll go back. But before that..."  
  
"There are still many things you want to ask first, don't you?" S finished in a flash of perceptiveness.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
While the young man was pleased with her willingness to provide him with answers, there were so many questions cluttering his brain he had absolutely no idea where to begin. One of them shone brighter than the others, however, and he figured it would be a good start. "You said earlier that I was a necessary part in your plan... what does that mean? What plan?"  
  
"... I told you. My plan was to have you use the Another Time Navi so that you could use the other method afterwards."  
  
"But... why? What is your end goal?"  
  
"I wanted you to deal with your father. Before everything began, that is."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Something felt off. "... Do you have a grudge against him or something?"  
  
"I don't." she replied without hesitation, and the teenager couldn't detect any trace of dishonesty in her voice. "My objective was to have you save someone."  
  
"Save...?"  
  
"I am talking about you, of course." she clarified right away, and the teenager let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. "If you could return to that period of time and deal with Masayoshi, then you would be saved from your fate. From yourself."  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't help but feel almost disappointed. With the way S had built it up, he had expected to hear something much bigger than that. "Is that it...? It was all just for my sake...?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
S' hesitation sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins. When at last, he could take no more and opened his mouth to press the issue, she answered. "Not, not just for your sake... it was for my sake as well. And it was something I couldn't do without your help. This is why I approached you. Again, forgive me for tricking you... but you were my only hope."  
  
"... Huh?"  
  
Akechi Goro waited for her to elaborate, but it soon became clear to him that she had no intention of doing so.  
  
"Seriously, what's the deal with you..." he eventually muttered, a very audible note of frustration in his voice. "Just, just tell me, who are you anyway? I still know nothing about you, not even your na–"  
  
"Sophia. That's my name."  
  
The young man's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn't expected her to let this information out so easily, and took some time to roll the name in his head. "Sophia...? So you're not Japanese?"  
  
"I am. Or I used to, you could say."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean..." Akechi Goro mumbled, torn between irritation and confusion.  
  
S – Sophia – remained silent. The teenager's exasperation was practically palpable, but he ultimately decided to drop the subject. It wasn't like he could force the answers out of her. "... Anyway, there's still something I don't understand. You said your goal was to have me take care of Shidou, but in that case, why resort to the other method? The ATN could have brought me two and a half years back again, even if it could have taken a while. Is it because you didn't want to wait?"  
  
Now that he thought about it, this explanation made perfect sense. It could have taken months, or even years, before the application decided to send him to that specific period of his past. Yes, that had to be it. Sophia simply didn't want to wait.  
  
"No, it isn't because of that. It is because... the Another Time Navi couldn't have accomplished what I wanted."  
  
And just like that, Akechi Goro's conviction bursted like a popped balloon. "... Huh?"  
  
"Do you remember one of the rules of the application? It cannot bring you further back in time than the day you awakened to your Persona. The other method isn't restricted by this rule."  
  
"... And how is that a problem?" the young man asked in genuine confusion. "I mean, I met Shidou two and a half years ago, I don't need to go further back..."  
  
Akechi Goro was curious to know, but didn't allow Sophia time to answer – another question that was practically screaming to be asked suddenly entered his mind. "By the way, how does that method even work? I mean, what am I supposed to do in order to go back?"  
  
This time, she didn't hesitate. The young man tilted his head in wariness. "It's easy. I send you back."  
  
To her, this seemed to be the most obvious explanation. But Akechi Goro wasn't so convinced. "And how do you do that? How _can_ you do that?"  
  
His suspicion was well-justified. No regular human being could casually declare they would send someone back in time like that – it wasn't exactly the most common ability in the world. No, what Sophia had was a _power,_ that much was certain...something only a special being could have. And Akechi Goro knew, deep down, that she was more than special. At long last, he asked the question that had kept swirling in his mind for what felt like forever.  
  
"Sophia... are you a goddess?" he inquired extremely seriously, although a part of him felt like a fool for asking this unironically.  
  
All he got for an answer was a very long silence. With a chill, Akechi Goro realized Sophia was probably so stunned by his stupid question she simply had no idea how to react, and he could feel his cheeks heat up. She would probably burst out laughing any moment now, asking him how naive could he get.  
  
Sophia didn't laugh. She didn't mock him either. Her reply felt like his world had turned upside down. "So you figured it out, didn't you?"  
  
Akechi Goro was speechless. He tried very hard to form a coherent sentence, only to fail spectacularly at doing so. "No way... it was... you are..."  
  
She kept quiet, possibly waiting for him to recover. Yet, he swore he just heard a very short giggle at the end of the line, as if she found his astonishment amusing. A jolt of annoyance shot through his brain, which was dangerously close to overheating.  
  
Figuring out waiting didn't yield much results, she decided to bring him back to his senses. "Anyway, don't you think you should go? We can resume this conversation later, when everything is over. Right now, you need to focus on your objective."  
  
"What? No!" Akechi Goro snapped, his annoyance turning into outrage. "There are still many things I want to know first! Like, what the Phantom Thieves did to trigger the creation of the giant Palace, for example! Or who the host even is!"  
  
"Why do you want to know that?" Sophia asked right away in return, sounding a bit surprised. "Does it matter that much who the host is?"  
  
"O-Of course it does! I mean, even if you say dealing with Shidou will prevent the giant Palace from appearing, it just, it just feels wrong never finding out how it came into existence or who the host was!"  
  
Akechi Goro gasped for air, feeling suddenly drained of all his energy. "I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but... but never solving this mystery would be... unsatisfying... That's why I want to–"  
  
"This Palace has no host. I know, because I am the one who made it."  
  
Akechi Goro's heart stopped. His entire body felt like it had turned to stone.  
  
He probably misheard. Yes, of course he did. This was all just a misunderstanding – or a joke. It wasn't particularly funny, but he forced himself to let out a brief chuckle, which sounded disturbingly like that of a person gone mad. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real. It was a lie. He had to ask. He had to confirm he was right. But he never got the opportunity to do so.  
  
A loud, banging sound suddenly echoed on his back, and Akechi Goro jumped to his feet, so startled he nearly lost his balance as he spun around to face his front door.  
  
"This is the police! Open the door right now!"  
  
The young man blinked at the door, not comprehending. The police...? Why the hell were the police banging at his door...?  
  
The question had scarcely crossed his mind when the answer came to him just as fast, and his eyes opened so wide he looked like he had been struck by lightning. He completely forgot... the conversation with Sophia had been so much to process, it entirely slipped his mind that he was wanted... and apparently, he had now been found.  
  
The bangs kept going, growing more and more intense as the minutes passed. Each one of them felt like one more weight pressing down on the teenager's heart. His mind was no more – all that was left was an empty white fog. It didn't occur to him to run, or even move, but it wasn't like he could anyway. Every single one of his muscles was paralyzed, and so he just stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at the door in strange captivation. Somewhere deep down, he couldn't shake off the impression that time had stopped. In his hand, he heard Sophia talk to him, but he couldn't make out any of her words.  
  
"We know you're here! Open, or we're breaking down the door!"  
  
The threat didn't cause much reaction from the teenager. Not even the door suddenly bursting open after several minutes of stillness managed to. Time had begun to move again, and four officers shot inside the hallway. The collective glare they gave the teenager felt like icy water poured on his bare flesh.  
  
"We finally found you." the one who had shouted through the door growled – the most menacing one. "You're going to come with us. No explanation, you already know why we're here."  
  
And on those words, two of them stepped forward, their stares cold and their faces harsh. Akechi Goro had lost the ability to think. They took one step toward him, then a second one, until he was in their reach. The closest man extended an arm, likely with the intent to spin him around and handcuff him, and this is when Akechi Goro broke free from his trance. His breathing hard and heavy, he darted out of the hallway and practically tripped his way into the first refuge that came to his mind – his bathroom.  
  
Quick like a flash, he locked the door behind him and pressed down on it with all his weight, as if to barricade himself in. His heart was pounding so fast he was convinced it would stop soon, succumbing to the exertion. With a hand shaking like it had never shaken before, he shoved the phone to his ear, nearly hurting himself in the process. Sophia was still at the end of the line.  
  
"Look, I don't care anymore! Just get me out of here!"  
  
"... Alright. I'll send you back now." she simply said, and he swore he could perceive a hint of triumph in her voice. "You might be a bit... confused when you get there, but I am sure you will manage just fine."  
  
"Confused? Why the hell would I be confused? I have already been sent there befo–" he tried to argue, but cut himself off, eyes widening and mouth agape.  
  
Akechi Goro felt his heart flip. Behind him, the door was shaking hard, but he barely noticed. The enormity of the realization that flashed in his mind overpowered everything else.  
  
"Get ready, I am starting the process now. Hang tight..."  
  
"W-Wait a minute! Where exactly am I going?!" he stammered as a dose of adrenaline rushed through his veins – or an overdose, more like.  
  
"... Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough." Sophia answered enigmatically, and for a split second, Akechi Goro swore he was going to have a stroke. But before he could open his mouth to snap at her, a wave of pain hit him, and he instantaneously dropped the phone down. It was a pain so violent, so excruciating, he was certain it would drive him insane. It took him a moment to trace its source – the pain was coming from his head. It felt almost as though there was a wild animal trapped inside, desperately trying to claw its way out. The pain he experienced upon awakening to Loki could never compare. The familiar sensation of pins and needles prickling his nerves washed over him, but unlike before, it now felt so intense that his legs fell asleep nearly at once, and he collapsed onto the floor, banging his head against the side of his bathtub. The screams he let out could have turned even the most ruthless man on Earth's blood to ice.  
  
"Stay calm... this is the price to pay for going back in time without the Another Time Navi, but it is almost over... just hang tight, and everything will be fine..."  
  
Sophia was clearly trying her hardest to soothe him, but Akechi Goro didn't hear her. Nor did he hear the officers stop banging at the door and listen to him, their voices shaking with panic.  
  
"Holy shit, what the hell is going on in there?!"  
  
"Is he... killing himself?"  
  
"Shut up you two! Hurry up and breach the door already! We need him alive!"  
  
The violent bangs on the door resumed. It was only a matter of seconds before it would yield, but it was currently the least of Akechi Goro's worries. As he kept writhing and squirming on the floor, all he could think about was how much he wanted it all to stop... and as if to answer his prayer, his consciousness suddenly slipped away. If he hadn't fainted, though, he would have definitely noticed... he would have noticed how fast the world had started spinning, and for a much, much longer time than usual...


	20. Case 0 - CHILD

The first thing that greeted Akechi Goro when he regained consciousness was sound, not sight – although "regaining consciousness" might not be the most accurate way to describe it. He was actually somewhere in between, not entirely out cold, but not entirely awake either. It was difficult to tell exactly.  
  
But what was easy to tell, however, was how exhausted he was feeling. The way his body remained stubbornly still and unresponsive despite his efforts to shift even a bit told as much. He didn't take long to figure out he was fighting a losing battle – his eyelids seemed heavier than his own weight – and so he simply remained there, lying down on a hard floor that was likely parquet, trying to focus on the distant chirping of birds reaching his ears. It was a pleasant sound, reminding him of spring mornings, but there was something else about it, something that made him feel oddly melancholic.  
  
Nostalgic, his brain provided. This sound felt... nostalgic.  
  
In that moment, Akechi Goro's mind was truly at peace. The singing of the birds, coupled with the soft breeze caressing his face, was lulling him to sleep and soon enough, he was drifting off again, into half-slumber, half-awareness. The wooden floor, uncomfortable though it was, didn't seem to disturb him much – his long, deep and serene breaths were evidence enough. The slow, gentle rising and falling of his chest made him look almost vulnerable, innocent even. Somewhere deep down, he could hear a very faint voice – his own voice – chiding him for taking a nap when he had much more urgent concerns to take care of. Yet, Akechi Goro didn't listen. He didn't even know what the voice was talking about. All he could focus on was the sensation that he just woke up from a wonderful dream... and that all he wanted was to go back to sleep, and keep dreaming all day long...  
  
In his slumber, he instinctively tried to roll onto his side, but his body was too deprived of energy to cooperate. Only his head followed, but–  
  
"Ow!"  
  
Clenching his teeth, Akechi Goro straightened up at once, startled awake by a sharp jolt of pain that was coming from his head. While his mind was struggling to get rid of the fuzziness enveloping it, he reached out and his hand met with a bump somewhere above his ear. It seemed rolling his head to the side, and thus having it meet with the floor, had jostled the pain, but how did he even injure himself...? Did he bang his head somehow?  
  
But finding out about the cause of his bump didn't remain his priority too long – something else was currently much more concerning to him. Namely, the thin trickle of hot liquid dripping off his nose. Without thinking, he grazed carefully against the substance and examined it. He had already figured it out, of course, but it was definitely blood that was staining his fingers.  
  
_What the..._  
  
For several moments, he just stared at his hand, not comprehending. Even through his glove, the blood felt warm. Some droplets had trickled down his chin and neck, only stopping as the cloth of his collar blotted them. The red of the blood and the white of his shirt contrasted harshly, making both colors bring each other out in a way that seemed almost unnaturally bright and vivid.  
  
His ever-growing confusion didn't stop there. If anything, it reached even higher levels as he finally became aware of his surroundings, and more specifically of the fact that he didn't recognize them at all. Very cautiously, he climbed to his feet and took his first good look around the room. A mere glance was enough to tell him this was a bedroom – a child's. It was small, and not that furnished. To his right was an undone bed, with a couple of plush toys amidst the blankets. Scattered around his feet were several books for children left open, and more of them were stored on a shelf nearby. Akechi Goro bent down to pick one up out of curiosity, only for his gaze to stop on something entirely different. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he picked up the object off the floor. It was an action figure, depicting a superhero that looked a bit like Robin Hood...  
  
Judging by the bright light coming from the window, today was a particularly sunny day. He could see specks of dust swirling in the sunbeams flooding the otherwise dark room. With caution, he put the toy back on the floor and approached the window, which was open. A gentle breeze, the same he had felt on his face earlier, was wafting through the room, along with the chirping of birds that could still be heard in the distance. The young man leaned over the railing, but the sight wasn't especially remarkable, or recognizable. It was simply the picture of a regular, quiet neighborhood, that looked nothing like the lively areas of Tokyo. He did his best to catch a glimpse of something, anything that might help him determine his exact location, but he was soon forced to admit defeat – he had absolutely no idea where he was, and no amount of scrutinizing those roofs and chimneys stretching out as far as the eye could see would provide him with some kind of clue. Even so, he couldn't shake off the strange feeling of _familiarity_  blooming in his brain. This dark room and the sunlight filling it, those toys and books scattered everywhere, this tiny bed and those particular bedsheets, the view from this window... he had already seen them before...  
  
Forcing himself to ignore the sudden seeds of unease taking root in his mind, he walked away from the window. He swept his eyes across the room one final time before they stopped on the exit. Figuring there wasn't much he could learn by staying there, he opened the door and found himself in a tiny hallway. A wide archway separated it from what was clearly a living room, and Akechi Goro took a curious look around. Just like the room he woke up in, this one was plunged in half-darkness – the lights were switched off, but the bright sunlight coming in through the wide windows made up for them just fine, forming perfect rectangles of light on the parquet. The white, half-transparent curtains framing the windows swayed gently in the breeze coming in. The kitchen was open and made one with the living room, with only a counter to separate them. A potted plant was sitting at the base of one of the windows, but judging by its dull leaves hanging low, it had been neglected for quite a while. It wasn't the only thing that had been, in fact – the screen of the TV in the corner was covered with a thin layer of dust, the walls looked a bit damaged somewhat, and in the sink of the kitchen was a good dozen of dirty dishes waiting to be washed.  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't really sure what to think, but eventually shrugged it off. Something else had caught his attention – a box of tissues left there on the coffee table. He approached it and tore off one, two, three tissues from the box, then proceeded to vigorously wipe the blood off his face and neck. He didn't know whether he did a good job or not – there was no mirror nearby to check – but he figured that would do for now. He absent-mindedly threw the stained tissues in the trash can of the kitchen, his brain busy wondering why his nose started bleeding in the first place. Or where did that bump on his head come from. Or where the hell he was, and how he got there.  
  
Dozens of questions scrambled and jostled one another in his mind, but he couldn't for the life of him answer any of them. But, on second thought, that didn't matter at all. Those questions were absolutely insignificant in the face of what he just discovered.  
  
"No way... this is insane..."  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't help but mutter it aloud. The source of his extreme astonishment was a calendar, taped to the fridge. He wasn't sure what baffled him the most – the fact it was a calendar for the year 2003, or the words "Goro's appointment with the doctor" written in one of the tiny boxes, whose date showed June 11.  
  
It was at that exact moment fragments of his most recent past emerged from the depths of his mind, each one of them more vivid than ever, and the teenager's eyes opened wide. How he got there, how he got this bump – he remembered it all. He even understood right away why his nose had bled – Sophia had truly meant it when she said traveling back in time using the other method would take a toll on his body...  
  
And as his heart leapt in his chest, Akechi Goro also realized – he realized where she had sent him back. In that moment, he completely forgot about the utter disbelief that came with Sophia revealing she was behind the creation of the Palace, and not the Phantom Thieves' actions like she had claimed. He didn't even care anymore that she had lied to him about basically everything else from the very beginning as well. All that mattered to him was _why she had chosen to send him here,_ of all periods of his past... if she really wanted him to deal with Shidou, then what was the point of sending him thirteen years back, instead of two and a half...  
  
But before he could start wracking his brain with the hope to find a satisfying answer, a weak cough startled him out of his thoughts, prompting him to turn around so fast he nearly lost his balance. It had come from behind a door, right next to the bedroom he woke up in. Slowly, almost despite himself as if his entire body was guided by a mysterious force, he walked toward the door. With each step, his heartbeat increased a bit more, until it pounded like a frantic drum. Very cautiously, he opened the door to take a peek... and there she was.  
  
Even in spite of the shutters, tiny rays of sunlight managed to lighten the room enough so that Akechi Goro could see her clearly. She didn't react to his presence at all, but it wasn't like she could, for she was sleeping soundly in a futon, right on the floor. In that moment, he truly couldn't think about anything. All his thoughts were gone, leaving behind a single feeling he couldn't put a name on. Again, someone took possession of his body, and he found himself approaching her to kneel down beside her, carefully studying her face with captivated eyes, big and round just like a child's.  
  
Shidou really wasn't lying when he said Akechi Goro was the spitting image of his mother. The resemblance was almost eerie, in fact – it was as though he were gazing at his reflection in a mirror. But unlike her son, she looked damaged, a bit like a broken doll, and he didn't take long to figure out why. If he had really been sent to June of the year 2003... this meant that his mother had only one month left to live before she eventually wasted away...  
  
Her despair had taken a toll on her facial features. The most imperceptible wrinkles sprouted from her eyes. Her eyebags and dark circles were so distinct it would be easy to believe she hadn't slept in a lifetime. Her hair was a dull, tangled mess, and it was obvious she had stopped taking care of it a long time ago. Its shade of brown was exactly the same as his, although it was at least several inches longer. Her eyelashes were long as well, just like his, but the most striking detail, the one that shot an arrow of sorrow through Akechi Goro's heart, was the two dried trails of tears on her cheeks. It was almost as though her pain had permanently marked her face, a testimony of the misery eating away at her from within.  
  
Even so, she was beautiful. She was just like a withered flower – damaged by the vagaries of fate, but still bearing the evidence of faded, distant traces of beauty, that belonged to a past filled with happier days.  
  
A sudden knot of muscle strangled him, and the young man tried without much success to swallow the lump in his throat. All he could do was stare like he had entered a trance-like state, unable to tear his gaze away from her, as if spellbound by a magnificent work of art. His stomach felt strange, but his pulse eventually slowed down. It was only then that he felt a tight grip upon his heart, squeezing it hard as if to crush it. It was almost as though his brain was working in slow-motion, only now processing exactly what he was seeing, and reacting with a delay. The awe on his features was long gone. His expression was now unreadable.  
  
"Mother... it's been a while."  
  
His voice was even less than a whisper, and its tone difficult to interpret. Somewhere deep down, he couldn't help but wonder if the sight before him was real. He extended a shaky arm with the intent to graze her hand, as if to make sure she was really flesh and bones and not some kind of illusion or dream, but without warning, she shifted weakly and Akechi Goro jerked his hand away, like he had burned himself on a sizzling hot plate. In the end, he contented himself with contemplating her again.  
  
He knew he should hate her. It was her death that condemned him to a lifetime of loneliness. It was her who lost the will to live even though her son needed her. It was her who wasn't strong enough and let herself die in despair, leaving him behind. She was truly the worst kind of mother.  
  
But even so, he didn't have the heart to hate her. He couldn't even bring himself to hate her. She wasn't his enemy – Shidou was. Just like her son, she had been one of his father's many victims. The pang of pain in his heart wasn't due to resentment or spite, only grief. Perhaps disappointment as well. He couldn't really tell.  
  
The teenager shook his head, but there was no clearing the dejected expression on his face. He never expected there would be a day when he would reunite with his mother. Most children would have probably cried in happiness, leaping into their mother's arms. Akechi Goro, for his part, didn't know how he was supposed to react. In the end, he settled for no reaction at all. His heart heavy, he forced himself to stand up and left the room without a sound, closing the door gently behind him. He returned to the living room, his steps sluggish, and without being entirely sure why, he found himself scanning it again. This is when it dawned fully on him.  
  
This place was his home. He had already realized it earlier, of course, but only now did he entirely comprehend it. This neighborhood was where he was born, and this home was where he lived the first four years of his life. That child's bedroom – it was his. Those books, he had read them, that action figure, those plush toys, he had played with them. He had slept in that bed many times, waking up with a beaming sun and the chirping of birds exactly like today. He had probably spent many Sunday mornings watching cartoons on that TV. He had likely opened that fridge time and time again, looking for some sweets to snack on. But all those memories belonged to a past he had already forgotten. Yes, this was Akechi Goro's home. The Akechi Goro of thirteen years ago, that is. The current Akechi Goro was just that – a stranger. A foreigner who felt like he didn't have the right to be there, as if he was nothing more than a burglar breaking and entering a house. Even here, in his very home, he didn't belong.  
  
The teenager's heart sank deep, but he forcefully chased away this depressing thought before he could succumb to gloom. He didn't have time to brood over his feelings. Sophia had given him a potential escape route from his misery, and he would be a fool not to take it. Settling down on the sofa, he gathered his thoughts. His objective had already been decided a while ago – what he needed to think over was how to accomplish it. He would need to infiltrate Shidou's Palace – assuming he already had one at this point of time, although that wouldn't be surprising if he did – find his Shadow... and then, Akechi Goro would have to make a choice.  
  
Shidou was his father. The person he hated like he had never hated before. The man who needed to pay for everything he did to his son, and his mistress as well. As a child, there was nothing Akechi Goro could have done. But right now, he wasn't a powerless child – he was a young man, with an ability that could stop Shidou once and for all.  
  
_That Sophia... she really planned all of this since the very beginning, didn't she..._  
  
Akechi Goro let out a faint grunt of annoyance. It had occurred to him as strange that Sophia made it a point to tell him that he wasn't bound by time anymore – that his current appearance, his current memories, and more importantly, his current abilities would all travel back in time with him, but only now did he understand the significance of her explanation. This is what she had wanted all along... to have him use his powers against Shidou, more than ten years before he got them... and while he had no idea what it would accomplish, it seemed everything was going according to her plan, at least so far. Once again, Akechi Goro was dancing in the palm of someone else's hand. His free will, his own volition – those were nothing but foreign concepts to him. They had always been, of course, but that acknowledgement didn't make him feel especially better.  
  
Still, although that was all he had ever been – an obedient puppet, manipulable and disposable – he did retain some sort of control. It was his actions that would determine whether Shidou Masayoshi would live, or die. His entire fate rested in Akechi Goro's hands.  
... And Akechi Goro's own fate did, as well.  
  
But of course, and although he didn't like to admit it, he knew that even now, he was left with no choice. He had really one option, and he would be a fool to believe otherwise. If he killed Shidou, he would remain a murderer – an unforgivable criminal. And yet, a part of him faltered at the prospect of reforming his father, because he still hadn't changed his mind – twisting someone's heart was something that should not be. Back then, during his talk-shows, people believed his strong conviction was motivated by pure justice... but that really wasn't it. He didn't want to force Shidou's hand. He wanted his father's guilt and remorse to surface out of his own volition, not because Akechi Goro dictated it.  
  
Despite himself, his lips curled into a half-smile. He was repeating the same mistake. He already figured out earlier that what he wanted didn't matter anymore. It was about time he got that through his skull.  
  
The teenager heaved a great sigh. His heart felt somewhat lighter all of a sudden, and he liked to believe this was because he was finally starting to understand. But it wasn't long before another problem presented itself, and quite the big one at that. Even now, he didn't feel comfortable reforming someone by himself. Perhaps it was the fear of failure that was holding him up – from what he gathered, one mistake during the process would be enough for everything to take a turn for the worse. He had killed time and time again, yes, and his tainted mind was prepared for it, but Akechi Goro would rather avoid tainting it even more. If he was careless, Shidou would die. Failure was not acceptable.  
  
The young man tried to think back, to that day of September when he resolved himself to reform Okumura. He had infiltrated her Palace with the hope to find her treasure, but...  
  
His eyes opened wide before he could get to finish this thought, and realization crashed onto him like a tidal wave. He had no idea how such an important detail could have slipped his mind back then, but it did, utterly and completely. Of course... finding the treasure wasn't enough. He needed to make it materialize first... by sending a calling card, telling the host in the real world that their desires were about to be stolen. That was the true purpose of those calling cards. This is what the Phantom Thieves did for each one of their targets... and it was the same for Niijima Sae as well...  
  
Akechi Goro allowed himself to relax a little, pleased that he managed, at last, to regain some grasp on the situation, only to realize he had yet another obstacle to deal with – letting Shidou know he was coming for his treasure. He knew he would need to write a calling card, but how was he supposed to deliver it to his father? He never found out where Shidou lived... and there was no way he was already occupying the office Akechi Goro had come to know so well. He was too far back in the past for that.  
  
With a dejected sigh, the teenager opted for the most obvious solution, although he was certain it would be fruitless. He took his phone out, or rather Kurusu Akira's – the date showed June 7, 2003, but even now, a tiny part of him couldn't help wondering in disbelief if that was really true – and, without much conviction, dialed his father's private number, the one reserved for Shidou's close allies only. Seeing it so many times had made it easy to memorize it.  
  
He didn't have to wait long for his hunch to be confirmed. The robotic voice at the end of the line only said what he had expected to hear. _"This number is not in use, or is no longer available. We regret to inform you that we couldn't establish your call."_  
  
Akechi Goro had been right, but it wasn't really something to be happy about. Still, it made sense that he couldn't reach Shidou – the chances that someone would keep the same number for thirteen years were close to none, especially for somebody as cautious as his father. The teenager's shoulders slumped as he put the phone away, but it wasn't long before he perked up again, fueled by a sudden realization that shone upon him like a lighthouse across a dark blue sea. His eyes stopped on the door to his mother's bedroom. A tiny part of him was almost hoping he would be proven wrong, but he knew the key to contacting Shidou was there. He would need to thank his mother's foolishness for that.  
  
Silently, almost like a cat, Akechi Goro sneaked into the bedroom. His mother was still fast asleep, but he knew better than stick around too long. He hastily glanced around, but couldn't find what he was looking for. That is, until his gaze met with the most likely place it could be – his mother's handbag.  
  
The young man tiptoed toward it and wasted no time in leaving the room once he snatched it, making sure to close the door as silently as possible. No sooner was he done than his hand dove in the bag, coming back out with his mother's cell phone. For several seconds, he couldn't help but stare at it – it had been a while since he last saw a flip phone. But he didn't linger on it too long, and proceeded to open the list of contacts. He wasn't surprised to find out he had been correct. His dark, bitter gaze fell on the name "Masayoshi."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't get it. He didn't know what she saw in him. He didn't know why she was clinging so desperately to him, to the point that she would keep his number even four years after he abandoned her, four years after he _betrayed_ her. That woman was beyond his understanding.  
  
But, it was also thanks to her that he could finally accomplish his objective. He forced himself to swallow his bitterness and cleared his mind. He took Kurusu Akira's phone out again and swiftly added Shidou's number to the list of contacts. The task done, he slid his phone into his pocket, gently put his mother's phone back into her bag, and this is when he noticed it.  
  
Inside the bag was a picture. It was rather small and dented, but the fact his mother carried it around in her bag suggested it was important to her. Giving in to the curiosity eating away at him, he picked up the picture with a somewhat shaky hand, and Akechi Goro felt his heart flip.  
  
What he had expected to see was a picture of his mother and Shidou, a picture where they might look almost like a couple. But come to think of it, he had been foolish to think that – it was obvious his father would never be caught dead taking a picture with his mistress, or any woman he shared a relationship with for that matter. Even so, what he definitely hadn't expected to see was a picture of _himself_ smiling. He didn't seem older than three years old, but more than seeing himself as a toddler, it was the way his mother's arms were wrapped tightly around him that astonished him the most. She looked almost like she loved him... if only a little...  
  
Akechi Goro felt a lump form in his throat. Perhaps he had been mistaken. Perhaps she didn't entirely hate him. His eyes stopped on the two silver jewels pinned to her collar, and he found himself instinctively grazing one of his own. He wasn't sure what to think anymore. All he knew was that he couldn't bear to look at this picture any longer. The more he stared, the tighter his heart felt, and he refused to lose control over himself. But as if his body was taunting him, as if his arms were moving of their own volition, he found himself holding the picture tight against his chest, treasuring it with all his might. An involuntarily smile appeared on his lips, and Akechi Goro gave up fighting it. His smile conveyed tenderness, affection... and perhaps even happiness. Three emotions he thought he wouldn't ever learn the true meaning of. But now, even if it was little... he felt like he did.  
  
Akechi Goro remained there for a very long time. Alone, plunged in the half-darkness of the room, standing still and hugging the picture like a lost child finally reuniting with his cherished parents. But it wasn't long before his serenity was cut short.  
  
Without warning, an unexpected ringing echoed through the room, so blaring he couldn't help but let out a loud gasp, his heart pounding frantically against the inside of his ribs. It was coming from the landline phone sitting near one wall of the living room. For a moment, he just stared at it, unsure what to do. He had been so startled he felt like he had lost the ability to think, or even move.  
  
But something immediately broke him out of his paralysis. Akechi Goro flinched, almost as if he had been hit by a whiplash. He didn't even realize he had let go of the picture. It swirled swiftly in the air before landing down on the floor.  
  
"Goro... could you answer the phone?"  
  
The young man's blood froze in his veins. He could feel his brain working hard to process what was going on.  
The phone kept ringing.  
  
"Goro?"  
  
Behind the door to his mother's bedroom, he could hear someone rustling around. She was about to come out, no doubt. But Akechi Goro couldn't let that happen – he had a feeling, a very unpleasant one, that discovering a stranger in her house, who looked eerily like her no less, wouldn't work wonders on his mother's already precarious health.  
  
As if inertia was pushing him forward, he threw himself at the front door, which was locked, but it was with relief swelling in his chest that he noticed his mother had left the key inside. In the blink of an eye, he unlocked the door and managed to close it behind him much more gently than expected. He found himself in an open air walkway on the second floor, and before he knew it, he was already racing down the stairs, running away from the building like it could begin chasing him any moment. After what felt like hours, he finally stopped, gasping to catch his breath.  
  
It was strange, fleeing from his mother, Akechi Goro thought once he finally recovered a little, but the way his heart felt almost painfully tight wasn't due to that reason. Her voice echoed in his head again and again, distinct and vivid. He couldn't remember the last time somebody called him by his first name...  
  
Something stirred inside his stomach. He no longer knew if he was feeling happy or sad.  
  
The teenager shook his head vigorously, as if to clear it. He refused to lose his composure – now more than ever, he couldn't afford to fall prey to his emotions. His hands shook, but with a frown, he inhaled gulps after gulps of fresh air, until he could feel his body begin to calm down. The grip on his heart was still there, but had loosened enough that he could try and ignore it more easily. Akechi Goro glanced around, struggling to get his bearings. For the second time, a sensation of familiarity rushed to his brain as he wandered through this town – his hometown, he thought, and his stomach felt strange again. Before long, he found himself at the entrance of a small park. Judging by the distinctive screams and laughter of children reaching his ears, there was a playground nearby.  
  
As if inexorably drawn to it, Akechi Goro entered the park and sought the playground. It took him only a moment to find it, but this time, he didn't sit down on one of the swings – the place was packed with witnesses. Excited children ran around the playground, screaming at their parents to watch them climb the colorful walls or push them even harder as their swing flew into the air. Seeds of envy bloomed in Akechi Goro's mind, and he couldn't help but feel embarrassed at his immaturity. Even now, he longed for a proper, happy childhood, but of course, he knew it was too late. There was nothing he could do about it anymore.  
  
Akechi Goro let out a long, deep sigh, and eventually settled down on a bench nearby. Almost against his will, he found himself observing the playground again from afar, but it wasn't long before he reminded himself he didn't have time for that. He took Kurusu Akira's phone out, and opened the Otherworld Navi.  
  
"Shidou Masayoshi." he muttered quietly, and a subdued jolt of excitement prickled the inside of his stomach. The application had picked the name up. Shidou's Palace already existed.  
  
His resolve fueled by the confirmation, Akechi Goro closed the application, and proceeded to do what he had to.  
  
The beeping rang only once before stopping. Perhaps for the first time in his life, the teenager was glad to hear this voice – because this meant everything was going just as planned.  
  
"Shidou speaking. Who is this?"  
  
Direct as ever, Akechi Goro thought. Even thirteen years back, Shidou was already an efficient man – going straight to the point, unwilling to waste any time. There was something almost intimidating about it, but when the young man spoke, there was not a single note of timidity in his voice – only confidence.  
  
"Hello, Shidou-san... it's been a while."  
  
Akechi Goro took on the tone of a conqueror, of someone who had the upper hand, and who was intent on letting his opponent know. This didn't seem to sit well with Shidou – at all.  
  
"Huh? Who is this?!" he shot back, and the way his voice snapped reminded the young man of a bark.  
  
"This is a message from... the Phantom Thieves of Hearts." Akechi Goro blurted out without thinking, getting a little more caught up in his plan than expected. "Our job is to put an end to the corrupt, and we all know you are the most corrupt of all."  
  
Shidou hesitated a split second before exploding. "What the... is this some kind of prank?!"  
  
"Oh, it definitely isn't one." the teenager retorted, pleased with how quickly his father's composure had shattered. "We are extremely serious, Shidou-san. Soon, your true nature will be revealed to the entire nation."  
  
"My true nature? Just what are you ta–" Shidou asked in outrage, only to get cut off mid-sentence.  
  
"Shidou Masayoshi, a brilliant and charismatic politician, very much of a born leader. You are planning to run for the position of Prime Minister one day, aren't you? This is your ultimate goal."  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't help but smirk. He could sense Shidou tensing up at the end of the line. "That's... how do you kn–"  
  
"Our knowledge doesn't stop there. Your past, your present, your future... there is nothing we don't know about you."  
  
"What the–"  
  
"You don't know it yet, but you will become so obsessed with your desire to be elected that you will resort to any means necessary to accomplish this goal. Corrupting the police, framing your rivals for scandals whose responsibility will never truly be theirs, outright disposing of your allies when they will stop being useful to you, pushing the weight of your crimes onto an entirely different group... this is what you will be. A criminal, whose sins won't be forgiven."  
  
For the first time, Shidou said nothing. Feeling a bit lightheaded in response to the shot of adrenaline rushing through his veins, Akechi Goro continued anyway, unwilling to lose his momentum. It wasn't exactly a calling card, but that would do, he was sure of it. "This is why we are going to steal this twisted desire of yours before it can lead to the ruin of countless of lives. And this is assuming it didn't already ruin some of them."  
  
Akechi Goro knew his hunch was correct before Shidou could answer – the gasp of shock his father let out was evidence enough. This only served to fuel his determination even more. "Get ready, Shidou-san. Soon, the truth will come out of your very own mouth."  
  
"Is that a threat?" Shidou asked venomously, obviously trying very hard to regain his composure, but the young man didn't hear him. The sudden faraway look in his eyes made him seem like he was withdrawn from the world.  
  
"The arrogance in your heart... this selfishness that led you to forsake the woman who loved you, and the child who needed you... it will soon be cleansed away. We give you our word."  
  
And before Shidou could answer, or rather ask how the hell did he know about his private life, Akechi Goro hung up. He took some time to realize how fast his heart was beating.  
  
But at the same time, a strange feeling of liberation washed over him. It was as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, rewarding him for a job well done. But of course, his job wasn't done at all – it was only beginning. The time had come to finish it.  
  
Akechi Goro put the phone away, stood up and approached a middle-aged woman nearby. The way she stared intently at the playground made her look almost like a watchdog. There was no doubt she was ready to make her move the second one of her children would trip onto the ground and hurt themselves.  
  
"Excuse me." the young man called out politely, and the woman looked at him with a small jump, as if freed from a trance. Her eyes then narrowed in what could be interpreted as nothing else but wariness. Akechi Goro blinked at her in confusion, but nearly immediately realized what had prompted this unexpected reaction. Her gaze was locked not on his eyes, but on his collar – which he had forgotten was still stained with blood.  
  
Akechi Goro cleared his throat and, trying to ignore the sudden awkward atmosphere, put on the mask that had charmed so many people in the past. The smile he flashed at her was beaming just like an idol's. "Forgive me for disturbing you. I just would like to know... could you tell me where the nearest train station is? I need to go to Tokyo."  
  
The severe look on the woman's face didn't take long to melt away. It seemed Akechi Goro's soft-spokenness and pleasant manners had stolen yet another heart. She still gave his collar one last curious glance, but apparently decided not to pursue the matter. "The train station to Tokyo? It isn't very far... when you exit the park, go left and..."  
  
The young man listened attentively, rolling the directions she provided him over in his head so as to memorize them. "I see. It really doesn't seem far."  
  
The woman nodded, but the perplexed look she shot him made it clear the conversation wasn't over yet. "This might be a bit indiscreet of me, but... you are not from here, are you?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Akechi Goro asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.  
  
"Well, this is a very small town..." she clarified, looking a bit embarrassed all of a sudden. "Everyone knows each other here, but I don't think I have ever met you before. I would have known if somebody had moved there... are you perhaps a traveler?"  
  
Akechi Goro didn't respond immediately. When at last, he did, his smile was brighter than ever. "Yes... this is exactly what I am."  
  
His enigmatic words, coupled with his smile that seemed almost mysterious as well, left the woman visibly confused. She looked like she wanted to say something, but the young man beat her to the punch.  
  
"In any case, thank you very much. You were of immense help." he said respectfully, bowing before her to express his gratitude. "Now if you would please excuse me..."  
  
Akechi Goro could hear her mutter something along the lines of "what a polite boy" as he walked away from her, and before long, he arrived at the train station. It took a one-hour ride before he reached the heart of Tokyo, and another forty minutes before he found himself at the place where everything was going to end. Like always, the National Diet Building was grand-looking, almost like an actual palace. Nothing had changed since the last time he came here, in spite of the thirteen years separating both visits. Just like last time, the place was deserted. Just like last time, Akechi Goro brought his phone to his lips and spoke the words that would lead Shidou to his end. Just like last time, the world rippled around him until the city was replaced by a cruising ship, sailing aimlessly across an endless sea. Just like last time, he pushed the wide doors open to be greeted by a sumptuous main hall.  
  
Yes, everything was the same... except this time, Akechi Goro wasn't going for the kill. He was going for the salvation.


	21. Case 19 - FATHER

Earth was no more. It had become a no man's land, or so it seemed like. The last testimonies of mankind were now sinking deep into the sea and it accepted them all, slowly swallowing every last one of them like a lazy, hungry beast feasting on its offerings. The fiery red sky ruled over the crimson hue of the ocean, which looked disturbingly like blood... the blood of the unworthy, perhaps. And so, with its stately magnificence, the ship would keep on sailing across the blood red sea. This ark was the sole sign of life amidst a lifeless landscape, carrying with it the chosen one and his precious worshippers. Only he had earned the privilege to be granted salvation and to choose who would be saved alongside him. It was only natural, for a god among man. The small could die. Shidou Masayoshi had given them permission.  
  
What Shidou didn't know, however, was that he wouldn't remain part of the great for too long. Akechi Goro would make sure of that.  
  
"Good evening, sir. Welcome to the ballroom."  
  
The teenager looked up, pulled away from his thoughts by a pleasant voice. It had come from a sharp-dressed man, carrying elegantly with the tips of his gloved fingers an ornate tray. In the middle of it sat a single flute of champagne, and one of Akechi Goro's eyebrows shot up. He hadn't ordered anything, but as if the waiter had read his mind, he immediately addressed his unspoken confusion.  
  
"A welcome drink from the captain of this ship." he announced solemnly as he put the glass carefully in front of the teenager. "This specific brand has been imported from France and is only available in extremely limited quantity. We are glad to have the privilege to serve such exquisite champagne to our passengers. I hope you will find it to your taste."  
  
The teenager avoided the waiter's gaze and, without a word, he took the glass in his hand, but he didn't bring it to his lips.  
  
"Pleasant evening, isn't it." the waiter continued politely, his gaze now fixed on the giant bay windows that circled the room. "This sky is a perpetual twilight for as long as I can remember, but I can't seem to ever grow tired of it."  
  
Akechi Goro glanced over his shoulder. The swirls of purple, red and orange clouding the sky made it look almost as though it had been set ablaze. The ruby-red water gleamed under the beaming rays of the dying yet golden sun, each wave reflecting a light so bright and sparkling it was almost blinding. From time to time, the dark silhouette of a lone building sinking into the sea managed to eclipse the magnificent sun, but only moments passed before it would shine upon the ship again, its strong rays flooding in through the windows and warming the teenager's face like the comforting glow of a candle. Besides the waiter, some other passengers were contemplating the horizon, as if lost in a dream. To Akechi Goro, this mesmerizing sight meant... nothing.  
  
"Ah, the ball is about to begin." the man announced as an orchestra entered the room under thunderous applause and cheers.  
  
"Was that an idea of the captain too?" Akechi Goro asked, his sight lingering on the hundreds of couples giggling and leaving their tables. Some women were looking at him expectantly, and he quickly averted his eyes.  
  
"It was." the waiter confirmed with a brief nod. "Our captain is a very dedicated man. His guests' entertainment and well-being are his top priorities. The theme he chose for this ball is masquerade. Only a theme as refined as this one could match our dear guests' own refinement."  
  
"So this is why everyone was required to wear a mask to attend the ball..." the young man muttered, more or less to himself, but none of his words escaped the waiter.  
  
"Indeed. Even we are required to wear one today." he explained, gesturing toward his own mask, and Akechi Goro couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. The man's mask was intricate and detailed, bearing the likeness of a Venetian kind, and covered his entire face. It was a strange, featureless mask, looking almost like it was sewn into his skin, but what disturbed the young man the most was that he couldn't see the waiter's eyes. Where they should be was only two black almond-shaped holes, as though there was nothing behind them. Perhaps this was the waiter's true face... an eerie face, whose mask was really both the skin and the flesh.  
  
"I appreciate that you respected the dress code so well." he went on amiably, nodding his approval at the teenager's noble attire, and more specifically at his red mask. Akechi Goro had a feeling he wanted to add something else, but a call from a passenger nearby interrupted him, and he gave the brown-haired boy a brief bow of the head. "My apologies. I was getting so lost in our conversation that I forgot about our other guests... Would you like me to bring you the menu once I return?"  
  
"It's fine." the teenager said a bit more dismissively than intended while averting his gaze. From the corner of his eye, he watched as the waiter, apparently not offended, turned around to attend the table next to him. Only then did he put the flute of champagne back on the table.  
  
A roar of applause attracted his attention. The orchestra's conductor stood straight, bowed to the crowd, faced his musicians and three swings of his baton later, a grandiose melody filled the room. As Akechi Goro glanced at the sudden agitation around him, he couldn't help but feel a bit awed. The ballroom was luxurious and circular, and its walls really giant windows that made it look even larger than it already was. Hundreds of round tables, each one of them covered in silky white tablecloth, were arranged in circles near the glass walls, leaving room in the middle for the festivities. Most of the tables were now empty, for all the couples in the room were busy dancing gracefully in a way that reminded the teenager of a royal ceremony. Some guests however had stayed behind, observing the dancers from their tables as they ordered expensive drinks and entire feasts by way of main courses. Everything about them, from their sophisticated suits, gowns and masks to their somewhat haughty yet elegant attitude, was very close to the manner of natural-born kings and queens. They were not real royalty, of course, but it was undeniable they were quite good at playing pretend, no matter how reprehensible that was.  
  
Still, Akechi Goro couldn't look down on them for pretending to be something they were not – because he was no different from them. Crimson red meeting pristine white, gold accents and epaulettes that reflected light, sophisticated gloves made of the finest fibers, glossy mask that caught the attention of many... perhaps for the first time, his eye-catching attire didn't look out of place. In fact, the young man in white was looking quite at home there, among the fakers and the impostors. He didn't think much of it.  
  
Really, it was hard to deny how skilled Akechi Goro was at playing his role – the brief glances men and women paid him could attest to that. He wasn't even trying anymore. He was simply sitting there, alone at his table, bathed in a warm sunlight that seemed to enhance every single detail about him, from his already striking clothes to his features. His hair was like silk under the bright rays of the sun. His eyes hidden in the harsh shade of his mask gave off a vibe of mystery – and of strong attractiveness as well. Yes, to those kings and queens, the mysterious yet handsome prince of the ballroom was definitely a sight to behold... and this is exactly what they did. As the music stopped to allow the dancers some respite, the young man could sense enthralled eyes fixed on him, some in awe, some in wonder, and some in curiosity. He nonchalantly rested his face in the palm of his hand in reaction, not feeling like being disturbed and hoping his body language would convey as much. Apparently, it didn't.  
  
"May I have this dance, sir? I would be very honored to..."  
  
The eyes of the woman addressing him were sparkling with expectation. Just like he always did when he was in public, Akechi Goro didn't allow any of his real emotions to leak through his perfect mask. His annoyance was only little next to his sudden unease, however. He had had enough women swooning over him to recognize a predatory look when he saw one.  
  
"Forgive me." he said softly, his rueful tone worthy of the most talented actors in the world. "I am not a very good dancer. I wouldn't want to embarrass you..."  
  
His self-deprecating smile was convincing, but apparently not enough for her.  
  
"Oh, is that so?" she replied with a youthful giggle that seemed quite dissonant, coming from her. She looked to be around Niijima Sae's age, but sounded like a high school girl on a first date. "There is no need to be so modest. A young man as refined as you are just has to be an excellent dancer, I am sure of it. Or are you perhaps trying to say you are not interested in dancing with me...?"  
  
She took a step toward the teenager, whose eyes narrowed in wariness. The cheerful look on her face was still there, but Akechi Goro could see something sinister behind it.  
  
Quickly realizing he didn't want to deal with this woman any longer, he focused his gaze somewhere else and opened his mouth to dismiss her, only to be suddenly grabbed by the chin and forced to look at her again.  
  
"You really, really should not reject me..." she threatened, her grip on his chin so strong it was almost as though she wanted to leave a bruise. "You wouldn't disappoint a lady, now would you?"  
  
Her tone of voice was chilling. Back then, Akechi Goro could have been intimidated into submission.  
  
"I'm sorry." he said in a tone of finality, holding her gaze. For a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, she peered back straight at him, at those big, maroon eyes that were now frowning at her in defiance. And at long last, she understood. His existence did not deserve acknowledgment.  
  
"Hmph, it seems I was mistaken about you." she scoffed in irritation while roughly letting go of his chin. Yet, her affable smile remained, although with great effort, that much was certain. "I thought you were a gentleman... but a real gentleman wouldn't have dashed a lady's expectations like you just did. You are not worthy of being one of Shidou-san's guests."  
  
And with an annoyed jerk of the head, she turned around and stomped away, her practiced gait still elegant despite it all. Some people glanced back and forth in curiosity, from Akechi Goro to the woman, until they eventually resumed their activities. The teenager let out a sigh of relief, glad he was finally left alone again. His respite didn't last long.  
  
"Excuse me... Mind if I sit here?" a masculine voice asked, deep but soft. "All the other tables are crowded."  
  
The young man only bothered with the quickest of glances before looking away, his face resting in his hand again. "Go ahead."  
  
"Thanks." the man said in gratitude as he sat down, leaving one seat between them. Seconds later, a waiter showed up out of nowhere and the flute of champagne he gave to the guest was greeted with a smile.  
  
"No need to bring me the menu, I already know what I want." he informed, anticipating the waiter's question. "I'll have the duck confit, please. Ah and, bring me a bottle of your finest red wine, will you?"  
  
The waiter nodded and walked away. A silence settled at the table, but only a moment passed before it was broken.  
  
"That was quite a show you put up. How could you turn down such a lovely lady like her? I thought you would have better manners than that."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't immediately realize he was the object of the reproach. Only several seconds later did his brain make the connection, and for the first time, he directed his full attention to the man, giving him a look of confusion. "What?... Ah!"  
  
All he could do was gape. His confusion escalated to utter surprise. "No way... Are you...?"  
  
"Hey." the man greeted cheerfully – the strange guitarist Akechi Goro had encountered in Shibuya ages ago. The brown-haired boy couldn't be blamed for not recognizing him right away. His simple yet elegant mask and his tailor-made suit made him look almost like a different person. One thing was the same, however – he was looking just as shady as the last time they met.  
  
"Nice meeting you there." he continued, seemingly quite amused at the teenager's mounting astonishment. He then muttered a word of thanks as the waiter came back with a bottle of expensive wine and poured him a glass before slipping away again.  
  
"What are you doing here...?" Akechi Goro asked almost timidly, looking at the man like he had just climbed on top of the table and started dancing ridiculously.  
  
"Hm? I just felt like having dinner here tonight." the other answered with a shrug, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Never mind that, don't you think you were a bit too harsh on that lady? I bet it's the first time someone rejected her. Talk about a rough experience... Men are expected to make women happy, you know? Not break their hearts... or their pride."  
  
Akechi Goro was too busy groaning in annoyance to notice the tiny smile on the man's lips. "I don't–"  
  
"Yeah, I know. You're done trying to please adults by doing everything they expect of you, huh? I can understand why you feel that way."  
  
The man took a tiny sip of wine and let out a hum of delight. Clearly, the drink was living up to his own expectations. "Anyway, I guess I shouldn't worry too much about her. Look, she has already found someone to cheer her up."  
  
Akechi Goro followed the man's gaze until it stopped on the woman from earlier dancing tenderly with a handsome passenger at the other side of the room. Judging by the look of utter bliss on her face, she had already forgotten all about her altercation with the brown-haired boy.  
  
"So, what are you doing here?" the man asked after a brief silence. "Did you come here to get a free drink?"  
  
The teenager gave him a very unamused look that earned him an amused chuckle. He forced himself to ignore it.  
  
"I am not allowed to drink alcohol yet." he stated rather bluntly. What he didn't say was that he wasn't fond of the smell or taste of alcohol anyway, but admitting it would only bring his immaturity to light.  
  
"Oh yeah, you're still a minor, aren't you." the other realized with a nod. "Good thing the waiters didn't figure that out, huh? You would have been kicked out right away if they did."  
  
Akechi Goro found nothing to say in return and glanced listlessly at the dancers. Even the sun, peeking out from behind a swirl of colorful clouds from time to time, looked like it was curious to watch them.  
  
"Still, to think a kid could go through so much and make it anyway..." he heard the man mutter, like he was talking to himself. "You are practically a walking miracle, you know that?"  
  
The brown-haired boy took a long time to reply. Even as he did, his gaze was lingering somewhere else. "I haven't made it yet."  
  
"Oh, that's right. You still have something to do, huh." the man agreed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "To think Shidou's son would be the one to cause his downfall... In a way, that's what you always wanted, no? So why are you hesitating?"  
  
With a small start, Akechi Goro looked straight at him, so flustered he forgot to be baffled at the man's suspicious knowledge. "I'm not–"  
  
"If you weren't, you wouldn't be here. Unless sitting around is part of your plan?" the man retorted, but not a single trace of malice was audible in his voice. If anything, he sounded amused.  
  
"I..." was all the teenager offered by way of counterargument. The man was right, and Akechi Goro couldn't deny it. He knew he was only delaying the inevitable. But still...  
  
"You are afraid of confronting him, aren't you? That's understandable, given what happened the last time you were here..."  
  
For the first time, the man didn't look cheerful or carefree. His sudden wistful expression made him look very, very old and tired. Akechi Goro felt a weight pressing down on his heart, and when he replied, his eyes were downcast.  
  
"It's not just that..." he lamented, unable to lie anymore. "I'm afraid of what will happen next, too..."  
  
His honesty was rewarded with a sad yet reassuring smile which he found comforting, if only a little.  
  
"It's only natural that you would be afraid. Anyone in your shoes would feel the same way when confronted to an unknown future."  
  
Akechi Goro kept quiet, and so the man continued. "Still, I think you shouldn't let your hesitation stop you. You might regret it."  
  
"There are many things I regret already..." the teenager blurted out almost unwillingly, as though the bottle containing his feelings just shattered to pieces, and he couldn't stop them from leaking anymore. "If I hadn't been so thirsty for attention and revenge... if I hadn't been such a fool... So many people died by my hand, and I didn't even care... all I cared about was myself..."  
  
A long silence went by. The man stared at him, his expression unreadable, and then lazily stretched his arms as if in dismissal. "Eh, you're a good kid."  
  
"... Huh?" the brown-haired boy muttered, looking up at him just like a timid child.  
  
"Don't be so harsh on yourself. It's undeniable how hard you worked to change once you opened your eyes, and this is something to be proud of. Your efforts will be rewarded someday, I am sure of it."  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't so convinced, and it showed. The man didn't fail to notice, of course.  
  
"Have you already forgotten? Didn't someone offer you a chance to start over as a human being recently?"  
  
The teenager stayed silent. The man was right, Sophia did do that. He supposed he should feel grateful, but a cloud of unease loomed over any feeling of relief he might have. Why did Sophia give him this chance...? Why was she so intent on saving him from his past self?  
  
"Oh, by the way..."  
  
Akechi Goro blinked, snapped out of his thoughts. The sudden grin on the man's face was confusing.  
  
"You can't deny gods are real anymore, can you?" he chirped with an air of triumph which the brown-haired boy found extremely infuriating. "I told you one of them was close to you, didn't I? I bet you thought I was saying nonsense."  
  
The deep laugh he gave only served to fuel Akechi Goro's annoyance even more.  
  
"... How did you know anyway." he muttered, a sulky note in his voice, but the man didn't appear to have heard him.  
  
"Still, managing to attract the attention of a goddess... I am a little jealous." was what he was saying meanwhile, giving Akechi Goro a playful wink. "I bet she's a real beauty, too. I'd love to meet her someday."  
  
The teenager made absolutely no effort to stifle his sigh of exasperation.  
  
"You seem like you're already doing just fine to me." he pointed out with a knowing glance.  
  
"Huh? No, I'm not." the man retorted, sounding genuinely surprised. Apparently, he wasn't aware of the painfully obvious hickey on his neck, nor did he notice the smudge of lipstick on his collar. Akechi Goro, for his part, definitely did.  
  
"Ah, thanks." he said amicably as a waiter brought him his food. He then flashed the teenager a gentle smile. "Want a bite?"  
  
"Uh, I think I'll pass." Akechi Goro mumbled, torn between confusion and reluctance. He never had some before, but something about the words "duck confit" put together made him feel queasy.  
  
"Are you sure?" the man inquired, his eyebrows shooting up. "I mean, you look like you lost a bit of weight since the last time I saw you. A bite or two would do you good."  
  
All he got for a reply was several blinks, followed by a weary sigh. The teenager then stood up, prompting the other's eyes to brighten. "Are you leaving?"  
  
Akechi Goro nodded silently and started walking away, but suddenly stopped. He had to ask.  
  
"... How did the song end?"  
  
"Sorry?" the man asked in confusion, seemingly caught off-guard by his abrupt question.  
  
"You said you couldn't let fate win... so what happened afterwards? Did you end up winning?"  
  
The man gazed at him for a moment before his cheerful smile returned all of a sudden. He looked almost proud that the teenager had remembered his song. "... No, I didn't. Lady Fate beat the crap out of me. Well, I can't really blame her... I did cheat on her, after all."  
  
Akechi Goro remained silent, busy pondering those words. The conclusion he reached was straightforward – that man was out of his mind, no doubt.  
  
"How long are you going to stand there?" the other suddenly wondered in his deep, gentle voice. "This place isn't for kids anyway, so just go already. She is waiting."  
  
The young man raised an eyebrow at his elusive words, but chose not to make any comments. He took several more steps forward, only to stop in his tracks once again.  
  
"... Just who are you anyway?" he inquired, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He was right.  
  
"Why are you asking a question when you already know the answer?" the man replied at once, tilting his head to the side. "I told you, I am just your average street singer."  
  
About four or five seconds of silence went by before Akechi Goro responded.  
  
"Liar." he shot back, but he surprisingly wasn't annoyed. He had accepted this man would remain a mystery forever unsolved.  
  
"You're one to talk." he heard him mutter behind his back, although he didn't sound genuinely offended. His smile showed in his voice. "If I'm a liar, then what does that make you? Didn't lying become second nature to you those past years?"  
  
Despite himself, the teenager smiled the tiniest of smiles – the man had a point. Wordlessly, he walked away, until he reached the imposing double doors of the ballroom. Without being entirely sure why, he threw one last glance behind him. The man was no longer there. All that was left to see was an empty table. Akechi Goro didn't react in any way, and exited the room.  
  
He knew where he was going. There was surprisingly nothing to stand in his path – no Shadows, no locked doors, nothing. Yet, he wasn't relieved, although he knew he should be. With each step he took, his apprehension intensified a bit more, almost like a time bomb bound to his heart and about to go off at any moment. And then, it went off. Almost against his will, he found himself stopping in his tracks. It took him a moment to realize his arms and legs were shaking. A whirlpool of pictures and sounds swirled again and again in his head with the strength of a thousand fireworks, eating away at the last remnants of his composure. He pressed his hands hard against the sides of his head, desperately trying to clear it, but as it to retaliate, the wave of memories only grew taller and taller, and Akechi Goro was consumed. He was scared... scared of being back here. Scared of repeating the same mistakes. Scared of losing against his father again. Scared of falling prey to his words, scared of potentially witnessing this smirk of triumph spreading on his lips, scared of the demented look on his impostor's face as he killed off the thieves one by one, not bothering to even hide how much he enjoyed it all...  
  
But scared as he was, he was also foolish. He had come too far to run away now. And besides...  
  
_That's right... he won't be there..._  
  
Of course... how come it took him so long to realize? He had been stupid to worry about his impostor – he and Shidou hadn't met yet, after all. His father would have no son to perceive as a cold-blooded assassin. Today, he would be alone.  
  
Akechi Goro felt some tension leaving his shoulders, if only a bit, and he forced himself to get a move on. He couldn't succumb to dread – no, he refused to. He had to do this. Everything would be fine. Everything had to be fine.  
  
Like a chant, he muttered those words to himself again and again. He only stopped when the doors of the elevator opened on the Chamber of Representatives, whose atmosphere was just as oppressive as back then. Something was different, however – this time, the ceiling was around four stories high at least, but that detail hardly mattered compared to the giant golden wheel spinning slowly in the air... to Shidou's treasure.  
  
With his unease almost forgotten in favor of relief, the glint in his eyes shone somewhat brighter. Unwilling to waste any more time, he tore his mask off his face to summon Robin Hood and commanded him to fetch the treasure. The Persona complied immediately and moments later, he was handing out the wheel to the teenager, who blinked in confusion, and then smiled a sheepish sort of smile.  
  
"Sorry... I don't think I can carry it by myself. Could you hold onto it for a bit, Robin Hood?"  
  
It was Robin Hood's turn to blink. He didn't take long to catch on however, and gave a brief nod, prompting Akechi Goro's smile to widen a little in gratitude. The wheel was at least twice his size, and its weight likely even higher than both his own and Robin Hood's combined. He sure was lucky to have him around, he thought a bit wistfully. Even in his solitude, he had Robin Hood... he had Loki...  
  
Trying to ignore the sudden knot in his throat, Akechi Goro turned around and retraced his steps toward the elevator, Robin Hood hovering silently behind him. It occurred to him that this was way too easy, but he wouldn't complain. He didn't mind things being uncomplicated for once, especially if it meant being spared the ordeal of meeting with Shidou's Shadow again...  
  
While he felt ashamed that he couldn't overcome his cowardice after all, the wave of relief washing over him managed to drown it out. He was about to win... he was about to be saved. The hardest part was finally behind him. All he needed to do was to reach out and call the elevator.  
  
With a somewhat shaky hand, he pushed the button. There was no response.  
  
"... Huh? Why isn't it opening?" Akechi Goro cried out, a subdued note of panic piercing through his voice. Robin Hood was looking just as confused as he was.  
  
As if suddenly possessed, he began to press the button frantically. Of course, the result was the same. It appeared the power running to the elevator was cut off.  
  
"Dammit, this isn't good..." the young man mumbled while turning to face Robin Hood again. "I don't think there is another exi– wha?!"  
  
This was all he found to say as a sound of glass shattering echoed above him, loud like thunder. Muscular arms immediately wrapped tightly around him, and a split second later, millions of purple shards poured down on him like a deadly rain – or would have, rather, hadn't it been for Robin Hood shielding him with his own body. His heart little more than an overwrought drum, the teenager looked up at the stained glass ceiling, only to see a twilight sky looming over him. Strong air currents ran through the room, carrying with them whirlwinds of confetti whose source was impossible to identify. Try as he might, he couldn't figure out what had caused the skylight to collapse.  
  
"So you're the one who infiltrated my ship to steal my treasure. You call yourself a... Phantom Thief, but you seem more like a rat to me."  
  
Eyes opening wide, Akechi Goro extricated himself from Robin Hood's grasp and felt his heart rate reach sky-high levels as Shidou observed him from the very center of the room. Yet, his voice echoed in the young man's ears as if he was standing right next to him. Almost like a king, he slowly approached, going up the alleys of benches. Every single surface in the room, from the seats to the floor, was covered in a layer of shards. In the silence, the crackling sounds they emitted upon being stepped on as Shidou continued his inexorable advance sounded eerily louder than they were supposed to. The teenager's body froze, and he was struggling to prevent his mind from following suit. Even thirteen years back, the Shadow's golden gaze was the same. It was a bloodcurdling, chilling stare, depriving Akechi Goro of his reason. Something almost akin to shock flashed on Robin Hood's face but was instantaneously replaced by resignation as he faded away, realizing his other self's mind had weakened too much to support his existence anymore. Akechi Goro barely noticed, his eyes transfixed on his father. He didn't even think he could do anything but simply watch.  
  
"Do you know what the most effective way to deal with rats is? Rather than using rat poison or mousetraps, it is simply to let them run free. Make it easy for them to reach whatever it is they want to taint with their filthy paws."  
  
His distorted voice sounded like the teenager had never traveled back. In fact, Shidou himself didn't look any different. His suit was more formal than the black one the teenager had seen him wear so many times and his orange-tinted glasses were nowhere to be seen, but his build, his manner, his face, they were already defining the man Akechi Goro would meet more than a decade later.  
  
"There is something really satisfying about it. Tricking rats into believing they would safely escape just like they safely sneaked in, and watching as the real deadly trap ensnares them... By the time they realize it, it is too late. All they can do is cower while being exterminated."  
  
The last word was stressed in a way that made the teenager's hair rise on the back of his neck. The two minuscule reflections of a human-shaped silhouette in his eyes stopped growing bigger. Shidou had reached him, towering over him like a hunter over a frightened animal. For several seconds, the Shadow stared at him, his features showing something that looked strangely like wariness. But it lasted only a moment, and almost nonchalantly, he crouched down to retrieve the wheel, left on the floor after Robin Hood dropped it to protect the brown-haired boy from the shower of shards. It had somehow reduced to a normal size and something told Akechi Goro that Shidou was determined not to let go of it ever again.  
  
"Before I dispose of you, however, I would like you to provide me with some answers. You... will cooperate, won't you?"  
  
As he spoke, Shidou extended his arm toward the teenager, whose breath caught in his throat. What was at the end of the Shadow's arm wasn't a hand – it was a vise. The vise that had claimed his impostor's life for good... the vise he had felt upon his own throat, reducing him to even less than a rag doll for his father to toy with...  
  
Just a doll... Just a puppet.  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide, this time not in fear. Agile like a cat, he avoided Shidou's grab and lunged at him, knocking the treasure off his hands. It slid down the gallery, driven by the force of the hit, until it stopped halfway through the path.  
  
"Dammit, you wretched brat!" he heard Shidou roar, but he was long past caring. As if invisible hands were pushing him forward, he launched himself down the room, racing toward the wheel. Even as he ran, he reached out, the treasure mere inches away from his hand, only to be abruptly stopped in his tracks. Someone had grabbed him by his cape and by the time the teenager realized what he was doing, Shidou tossed him roughly out of the way before swiftly striding past him and picking up the treasure. With a growl, Akechi Goro leapt back up and shot forward, when–  
  
"Heh... Good timing."  
  
Shidou's words had scarcely reached his ears when Akechi Goro crashed down to the floor again. Stunned by the violence of the impact, he was having trouble comprehending what just happened. The pressure on his leg provided him with enough of a clue, however. He shook his head in an attempt at clearing the stars dancing before his eyes and peered over his shoulder. What greeted him was unexpected.  
  
"W-What the... Who are you...?" he stammered in extreme bewilderment as a sharp-dressed man clung onto his leg, his grip so tight it hurt. Akechi Goro could see his reflection stare back at him from the man's glasses with very round eyes.  
  
But even as he asked, he realized he already knew. Hundreds, no, thousands of copies of this man emerged from every last corner of the room and cemented the answer in his mind. Those people were likely part of Shidou's perception... not real human beings, only mere cognitions. Their existence, however, was very real, and this was an asset Shidou knew how to use, that much was clear.  
  
Gritting his teeth, the young man squirmed and thrashed around, but the grip on his leg wouldn't loosen. If anything, it only tightened.  
  
"Dammit... Let go! Let go of me!" he snarled, desperation fueling his energy, and with his free leg, he started kicking at the man again and again, until his face was a bloody mess and his glasses shattered to bits. Yet, he didn't release him. He didn't seem to even register the pain. He crept up the teenager's leg, mumbling something inaudible, and Akechi Goro felt a chill run down his spine. From his vacant stare to his impossible impassivity, nothing about that man, save for his appearance, could be described as human. He acted more like... a zombie.  
  
"Get him up." Shidou's imperious voice commanded, and before the young man could react, he felt one, two, three pairs of hands forcefully lifting him up and holding him in place. Outnumbered, cornered and restrained, there was only one thing he could do to balance out the odds.  
  
"Come! Robin Hoo–" he yelled as he jerked his arm away to reach for his mask, only to be cut short by someone snaking their own arm around his neck into a chokehold. Before he could even begin to process what just happened, his assailant grabbed Akechi Goro's arms again and kept them pinned behind his back with a strength that a man of this build shouldn't have. Painfully aware how futile it was, the teenager frantically tried to break free. He tried to kick, but he didn't manage to get even a blink out of his restrainer. He tried to punch, but the resistance in his arms forbade it. He tried to scream, but all he could manage was a strangled gasp. He tried to keep his eyes open, but the longer the pressure on his throat was, the more difficult he found it to do so. With each second that went on, his consciousness slowly but surely seeped away. It was the man's grasp that was keeping him up now, not his legs.  
  
Even through eyes whose sight was inexorably wavering, Akechi Goro saw them. The army of cognitions had surrounded him. Thousand of eyes stared down at him with their chilling yet blank gaze. Every last one of them was muttering something he had trouble picking up. He might be mishearing it, but he could have sworn they were saying the name "Shidou"...  
  
Shidou raised his arm nonchalantly so as to ask for quiet, and this is when the turbulence ended. The room grew entirely silent. There was not a twitch, not a blink, nothing. Save for the teenager, whose attempts at struggling were now too weak to be called as such, and Shidou, whose expression was somewhere between triumph and contempt, every single person in the room remained eerily still, waiting for their next command.  
  
"Let him breathe. He can't die yet." Shidou ordered, and the hold around the young man's neck slackened at once. Gasping for air like a swimmer finally rising to the surface of a pool after nearly drowning, Akechi Goro blinked rapidly until the world around him was no longer a blur. The sharp picture appearing before his eyes was that of Shidou making his way toward him. His treasure, secured under his arm, was gleaming in a way that was almost taunting.  
  
"To think that someone would manage to infiltrate my ship... my Palace, and be bold enough to even try. I have to admit... I am rather impressed."  
  
It was on those words that Shidou stopped, his face so close to the teenager's own that the two of them could see their respective reflections in the other's eyes. Shidou's reflection showed smugness and triumph. Akechi Goro's showed exhaustion, brokenness... and defiance.  
  
"You are the one who called me in the real world, aren't you." the Shadow growled, his chin held high in arrogance. "I didn't think my enemy would be someone as young as you. Congratulations... This is not saying much, but I consider you a worthier opponent than any of the bastards that stood in my way. After all... you are the first one that ever had me at a disadvantage."  
  
The hint of threat leaking from his words didn't escape the teenager. Even so, Akechi Goro remained impassive.  
  
"This is why it is all the more curious to me... I never shared my desire to become Prime Minister with anyone. Just like nobody found out about the things I had to do to get where I am today. But to think you would even know about my private life..." Shidou muttered, bringing his hand under his chin thoughtfully. "This is rather... troublesome. I always did my best not to let anyone catch wind of her, and of that kid as well. So... how could a brat like you know?"  
  
The brown-haired boy's heart was beating fast. As he spoke, Shidou reached out and forcefully removed his red mask to toss it away. The last threat to Shidou's victory, Akechi Goro's last chance to fight back, had been neutralized. He wasn't sure what it was, but as the Shadow intently observed his face, he was certain he just saw something flash in his eyes. Yet, Shidou remained silent, waiting for an answer.  
  
Beads of sweat started to form on the teenager's forehead. He had to think, and fast. If he were reasonable, he would probably tell the truth so as to test the waters. Yet, if there was one thing Akechi Goro didn't feel like being in that moment, it was reasonable.  
  
"... Sorry, Shidou-san. I don't see any reason to answer you..." he retorted, all too aware this had to be the least intelligent move he could have ever made, but he was unable to keep his spite under control. "Not when you are about to kill me..."  
  
His impertinence wasn't taken kindly, to say the least. Shidou's hand balled into a fist so big and strong-looking it might be able to dent even steel. Akechi Goro squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the impact – but the blow never came. Confusion mingling with wariness, he risked a glance at Shidou, only for his windpipe to get crushed again.  
  
"Don't you dare show disrespect to Shidou-san! Apologize right away, you stupid brat!" the man keeping him restrained hollered, tightening his chokehold so much Akechi Goro could feel the color drain from his face. Even as he was about to pass out, a vivid thought managed to work its way into his mind. Why was Shidou relying on the cognitions, rather than taking matters into his own hands? He hadn't been above dealing with the teenager by himself back then...  
  
"Stop it, you imbecile." Shidou snapped, a chilling edge in his voice, and watched as the teenager panted hard for air now that he was allowed to breathe again. "I already told you he can't die before I uncover the truth behind his suspicious knowledge. Unless you want to take his place?"  
  
Akechi Goro could sense his restrainer fidgeting around nervously. "Sir...! Forgive me!"  
  
The hint of panic in his voice was far from subtle. His chokehold had loosened enough for the teenager to be able to glance over his shoulder at him. The cognition was looking nothing short of terrified.  
  
Something was off, Akechi Goro thought as he looked straight ahead again, right at the Shadow. He didn't forget how selfish his father was. He was aware how Shidou despised the ones he considered to be inferior to him, yet didn't think twice about using them to achieve his personal goals by coaxing them. Shidou knew how to please. He knew how to attract and charm the masses with his charisma until they joined his cause, and he knew better than anyone not to let his true nature show through his pleasant mask. The hold he had upon the masses had always been fueled by genuine adoration, not fear. This is why it was off, that he had snapped at the cognition. The Shidou Akechi Goro knew wouldn't have made this mistake.  
... And perhaps this was something he could use to his advantage.  
  
"If he knows, it might be possible someone else knows as well. I cannot allow that to happen. Him knowing is one too many." Shidou snarled at the closest men surrounding him, and then focused his attention on the teenager again. "Tell me already. How did you–"  
  
"You shouldn't treat your allies like that, Shidou-san, not in their presence..." Akechi Goro interrupted, fueled by a sudden surge of adrenaline. "Who knows where their limit is."  
  
Shidou looked at him like he had trouble comprehending what he just heard. "What did you say? My allies?"  
  
Suddenly, he was smirking – a very, very ugly smile. The teenager fought the urge to return it.  
  
"Heh... As if." the Shadow sneered with a snicker. "Masses aren't allies. They are stepping stones. Tools to be used, and then discarded as soon as I have no longer any need for them."  
  
The atmosphere changed. A thick blanket of tension fell over the room. Akechi Goro could feel the grip on him slacken a little more.  
  
"Shidou-san...?" a trembling voice whispered almost inaudibly somewhere behind him, and the teenager knew he was on the right track. Since Shidou had deprived him of all his chances to fight back, then he left him with no choice. Akechi Goro would need to turn his father's own weapon against him... and this is exactly what he did.  
  
"I suppose a sacrifice or two is necessary to achieve ambitions such as yours..." he muttered, his eyes transfixed on Shidou, whose smirk widened.  
  
"Hmph... That's right. One day, I will transcend the border separating mankind from godhood... and if it means trampling on my pawns to achieve that, then so be it."  
  
A long silence followed his statement. It felt as though every single person in the room had frozen solid.  
  
"No... you're wrong, Shidou-san." the brown-haired boy declared, his voice slow and quiet. "You won't become a god. A mere criminal... this is all you will ever be."  
  
"What?!" Shidou barked, only to let out a gasp of surprise as the teenager was suddenly freed from the tight grip holding him in place. "What are you doing?! Keep him restrained!"  
  
His glare, usually so effective, only turned to an expression of shock upon realizing nobody moved to obey. For a man used to having the world at his beck and call, this outcome might be worse than even death itself.  
  
"Shidou-san..." one of the men mumbled, his eyes downcast. "This is a misunderstanding, isn't it...?"  
  
"We are not mere pawns to you... are we...?" another one wondered, his voice breaking at the final word.  
  
"So this is your true face..."  
  
"I can't believe this... Sacrificing us... trampling on us... no..."  
  
"You were the one supposed to save us! But... that was all a lie, wasn't it?!"  
  
"Shidou..."  
  
"Shidou!"  
  
Suddenly, all of them were screaming at once, the clamor of voices so loud it was nearly impossible to make out what they were saying anymore. Akechi Goro kept quiet as he watched the scene unfolding before his eyes. Victory was his.  
  
"What the... What's wrong with you all of a sudden?!" Shidou stuttered, his eyes darting from person to person like a frantic weathervane. "Just what do you think you're doing, you useless masses?! How dare you oppose me?!"  
  
His outrage was little next to the one his outburst sparked. Like an army of one, each cognition marched toward him – toward the man who used to be their god, and who was now even less than a human being. Shidou was about to reap what he sowed.  
  
"It's over, Shidou-san." Akechi Goro said quietly, his expression undecipherable. "You have dug your own grave. A politician needs the masses to achieve glory... just like a god needs worshippers to be called as such, but here you are, betraying them. It is only natural they would turn against you one day. And when they do... all that is left is nothing."  
  
"No! You tricked me, you damn brat!" Shidou yelled, trying to sound as intimidating as possible, but the edge of panic in his voice betrayed him. Meanwhile, the thousands of cognitions continued their advance, prompting him to recoil until his back met with the wooden desk located in the epicenter of the room.  
  
The young man's face remained entirely emotionless. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the Shadow. For the first time, he witnessed something other than anger, arrogance or triumph on his father's face – fear. It felt almost wrong, as if Shidou was defective, as if he had never been supposed to experience terror. In that moment, he wasn't Shidou anymore – he was a foreigner. Someone the teenager met for the first time... a pathetic man, whose inexperience and carelessness led to his downfall. If Shidou had been at the peak of his power... he would have won against his son, once again. His over reliance on the masses rather than himself, a weak point he would come to get rid of thirteen years later... this was Shidou Masayoshi's fatal mistake. Once his lack of experience betrayed him, once he himself betrayed those who used to worship him, who was left to be used as a means to an end when Shidou hadn't learned how to rely on himself yet?  
  
"Stay away! Don't come near me, you imbeciles!"  
  
The Shadow's pleading fell on deaf ears. All he could do was cower on the floor, clutching his treasure like it was a life preserver. Back then, Akechi Goro would have taken great pleasure from the sight. Today, his heart felt tight in his chest, and the realization confused him. He never imagined there would be a day when his resentment and hatred for his father would make some room for pity. It was almost scary, how today's allies could become tomorrow's enemies the second their blinded eyes saw the truth.  
... Still, this is what Shidou deserved. To have the very masses he treated like stepping stones turn against him was a fitting punishment – no, the perfect revenge. Yet, as the teenager crouched down to retrieve his mask, a barely audible part of him wondered... it wondered how it would feel like to deliver the finishing blow again...  
  
"Go..." he eventually whispered once he made up his mind, and Shidou's eyes opened wide as Robin Hood came straight at him. He looked like he wanted to scream something, only to change his mind and close his eyes in resignation. He knew what was about to happen, no doubt, but while he was trying to hide it, the way his entire body shook exposed how afraid he was. He didn't seem to have realized he was now in the reach of the vengeful masses. Their hands were shaking uncontrollably, as if eager to tear apart, as if eager to kill... but as the closest cognition extended an arm toward Shidou's face, his hand bearing the likeness of deadly claws, an explosion of light violently shook the room. Akechi Goro shielded his eyes until the flash shining through his eyelids dimmed away. When he opened them again, everyone in the room was gone, killed on the spot. Only Shidou remained, trembling in fear and eyes firmly shut. As the young man called Robin Hood back into his heart, the dome of light keeping his father safe vanished in a flash.  
  
It took some time before Shidou finally risked a glance around, only for his eyes to open wide. They darted everywhere around him in utter astonishment, until they stopped on the teenager.  
  
"What the... Why did you save m–"  
  
"Shidou-san... Give me your treasure."  
  
The Shadow could have been threatened with a whiplash cutting the air and his reaction wouldn't have been different. He shook his head furiously and recoiled as far as he could. Akechi Goro would have none of it. It was time to steal his heart, once and for all.  
  
_"First of all, no one should ever twist somebody's heart against their will."_  
  
Akechi Goro started walking forward, slowly. Even now, he had a hard time believing what he was about to do. He, who had looked down on the Phantom Thieves for their methods... He, who had condemned them for meddling with people's hearts however they pleased... Who did they think they were? Who gave them the right to pass judgement on humanity when they were just as reprehensible as the people they went after?  
  
_"What they are doing is nothing more than vigilantism. It is far from justice."_  
  
Of course, he knew he was one to talk. If the thieves deserved life imprisonment, then he deserved the death penalty – this was true justice. Reforming someone, or killing them... it was this choice that separated the hero from the monster. But still...  
  
_"Well, if there really are thieves like them out there, I believe they should be brought to justice in a court of law. Twisting other people's hearts by force... This is the worst thing any human being could do."_  
  
Akechi Goro saw Shidou's lips move, but he didn't pick up anything he said. He had reached him. His only purpose in life, both the beginning and the end, was lying at the young man's feet, looking at him with a mixture of wariness, fear, and confusion. But there was one more thing, an emotion Akechi Goro didn't identify. Shidou was awed, too. The brown-haired boy standing before him had transcended humanity. What he saw wasn't a prince, but a king – no, a god, bathed in a heavenly light that cemented the thought in his mind. He had been surpassed. When the young man in white extended his hand, the Shadow didn't think for even a moment that he could defy him.  
  
"Fine... Take it." he muttered as he handed him out his treasure, and Akechi Goro obliged without a word. Shidou's gaze fell in defeat, only to shoot back up right away as he noticed a gloved hand reaching out to him again.  
  
"What the... What are you doing?" he asked, but the teenager didn't answer. Not because he didn't want to, but because he wasn't sure what to say. Perhaps it was because Shidou was the greatest contradiction of his life. The man he hated, but didn't want to. The man he learned hatred from, but had yearned to learn love from instead. The man he couldn't forgive, and yet...  
  
Shidou's eyes were transfixed on the hand that was offered to him. He clearly had no idea what to do. Still, Akechi Goro's hand didn't waver, and at long last, the Shadow made up his mind. Slowly, hesitantly, he closed his hand over the teenager's own and climbed unsteadily to his feet with his help. In that moment, he looked nothing like the intimidating man he had ever been. He looked more like a confused child, whose narrow yet wide eyes went even bigger as he watched the brown-haired boy bow deeply before him.  
  
And for once, this bow wasn't motivated by hypocrisy or a desire to preserve a perfect facade. This bow was one of a kind. It was Akechi Goro's way to put everything behind him. His past, his hatred, his resentment... they were about to be locked away in his memories, forever and ever...  
  
When he spoke, his voice was less than a whisper.  
  
"Goodbye, Shidou-san..." _No... Father..._  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't brave enough to say the final word aloud.  
  
Swallowing to try and clear the sudden lump in his throat, he straightened up and spun around, his grip on the treasure tight. His pace faster than intended, he walked toward the elevator. He knew it would now be operational.  
  
"Wait... Don't go. There was something I was wondering about... Something important." he heard Shidou plead behind him. His brisk walk slowed down a bit, but he didn't stop.  
  
"What is it?" he asked without looking back, finally reaching the elevator. The sound of footsteps stomping hard on the floor and glass crackling under them resonated in the room, until Shidou caught up to him.  
  
"How do I put this... I was already intrigued earlier, but your face... It looks eerily similar to..."  
  
Akechi Goro froze. Without a word, he called the elevator. Its doors opened instantly.  
  
"... Tell me. Who are you?" Shidou asked, sounding almost desperate for an answer.  
  
"I am..."  
  
The teenager's voice trailed off. He glanced over his shoulder, right at Shidou. And perhaps for the first time in his life, Akechi Goro smiled a genuine smile at his father.  
  
"... No one in particular."  
  
All Shidou found to say in reaction was... nothing. He just stood there, rooted to the spot, watching as the brown-haired boy stepped inside the elevator. He gave his father one last glance before the doors closed on him forever. His lip quivered, his eyes stung, his heart collapsed and yet, Akechi Goro didn't cry. But what he would never admit, of course, was how much of an effort it took him not to.


	22. Case 20 - TAXIDERMY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, and thank you very much for your patience. The end is right around the corner... but before then, please enjoy this chapter!

As a steady beeping echoed inside the elevator with each floor it went past, Akechi Goro realized there was one detail he forgot to take into account – and it wasn't the insignificant kind, much to his dismay.  
  
_... How am I supposed to get back?_  
  
For a moment, he stood entirely still, his brain slowly processing the enormity of the realization that was dawning on him. Nervous sweat began to bead on his forehead as he kept rolling the question in his head over and over again. The result of all his brainwork was... nothing.  
  
Akechi Goro groaned, feeling completely stupid. Even in spite of the circumstances back then, he couldn't believe he outright forgot to ask Sophia what he was supposed to do in order to return... and given that more than one hour had already passed since he woke up to find himself back in his childhood years, it was clear Sophia's powers didn't work the same way the Another Time Navi did. Perhaps Sophia herself would bring him back, he told himself – except that if she really was planning to do so, she sure knew how to keep him waiting. All in all, unless a bright idea came to him or a miracle happened, he was stuck, utterly and completely, and this was a prospect Akechi Goro wasn't exactly happy about.  
  
Nonetheless, he forgot to be annoyed about his total lack of thinking ahead the moment the elevator stopped – because as soon as he stepped through the doors, the ship began to shake violently, signaling the Palace was starting to collapse. Telling himself figuring out a way to return could wait until after he made it out of the ship alive, he got a move on and launched himself across the luxurious corridor as though pushed forward by a great tailwind, steering wheel held close. Screams of terrified guests could be heard in the distance, but his surroundings were already empty. The sound of explosions ringing in his ears was like a whiplash fueling his race to the finishing line. He kept stumbling with each tremor and yet, he didn't slow down, running as fast as he could, his legs carrying him closer and closer to the end of the corridor – to where safety awaited. It was then that he felt the floor collapse under his feet for a reason he couldn't even begin to fathom, and Akechi Goro gasped in shock.  
  
The rest happened almost too fast for him to process. Eyes wide and heart pounding, he instinctively reached out and managed by some miracle to grab hold of the edge with one hand, only to feel something inside of him stop upon realizing he had inadvertently let go of Shidou's treasure. His stomach twisted into a nauseating knot.  
  
"No!" he screamed in despair, watching the steering wheel getting smaller and smaller as it fell into an endless abyss, like oblivion itself was swallowing it. He slowly shook his head in utter disbelief, gaping horror-struck at what almost seemed to be staring back. The empty expanse was taunting him, warning him he would be next.  
  
"No, no way... Why...?"  
  
There was no one to hear his whimpers, nobody to show him mercy. Panic seized his very being, rendering his breathing erratic and his thoughts paralyzed. Another explosion nearby urged him to snap out of his trance, however. Gathering as much strength as he could manage, he struggled to heave himself onto solid ground. He was almost there when the edge of the floor collapsed as well, and Akechi Goro screamed. He only stopped after what felt like an eternity when his body came in contact with ice cold water, and moments later, there was nothing more. All that was left was a lifeless object sinking further and further away from the surface.  
  
"Akechi-kun? Can you hear me?"  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes shot open. He woke up with a start, panting hard for the precious air he had been deprived of – yet again. His body jolted up on its own once more when he registered, at last, the presence of someone sitting on a folding chair at his side. It took him much longer than normal to fully comprehend who that person was.  
  
"Thank goodness, you're finally awake." Niijima Sae breathed, relief plain in her voice. "How are you feeling?"  
  
A long silence dragged by. The teenager blinked at her several times with an expression that didn't make him look terribly clever. "... Huh?"  
  
She flashed him a gentle smile in response. It conveyed both compassion and patience. "I understand your confusion. You were unconscious for three days straight, after all."  
  
"What?!"  
  
This single statement managed to sweep away whatever lead was slowing his brain down in one go. It was now back to working at full speed, so much that Akechi Goro's head began to hurt. The prosecutor gave him a curious look, apparently entirely oblivious to the utter chaos cluttering his mind. Just what the hell happened after he fell down that dark void...? Where was he? What about Shidou's treasure? What about Sophia? What about... everything?!  
  
"Sae-san, just what's going–" he tried to ask almost desperately, only to freeze mid-sentence upon meeting Niijima Sae's disapproving frown.  
  
"Stop fidgeting around, Akechi-kun." she commanded, and he didn't think for even a moment he could disobey her. "Your condition will never improve if you don't get some rest."  
  
The severity in her words was such that the teenager noticeably flinched, and his sheepish gaze drooped low. "Oh, um... Forgive me, Sae-san..."  
  
Niijima Sae's expression softened. Figuring his first priority was to calm down, the brown-haired boy took a deep breath, and found himself sweeping his eyes across his surroundings. Now that he thought about it, he could have pinpointed where exactly he was even with his eyes closed – the air in the room was practically suffocating him with the smell of antiseptic. He was in a hospital, no doubt, and more specifically one of its patients, given that he was tucked up in bed. The room was small, and except for the prosecutor's presence, utterly unremarkable. He clearly wasn't in the other world anymore, but how did he exit it in the first place...?  
  
"Sae-san, how did I get here...?" he couldn't help but ask, burning for answers. "Did someone... save me from drowning?"  
  
There was a short delay before Niijima Sae responded. Her disbelief was obvious from her expression alone.  
  
"Save you from drowning?" she repeated with a raised eyebrow, and then brought a hand under her chin in thought after a brief silence. "I figured you might be disoriented after waking up, but I wonder if this level of confusion is normal..."  
  
Akechi Goro felt beads of sweat starting to form all over his skin. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew for a fact something was wrong. "Y-You mean... I am not here because I almost drowned...?"  
  
"Of course not." she replied right away, sounding much too certain for his liking. "You collapsed because of overexertion at work, remember? It wasn't very serious, but the doctor who examined you decided to have you rest at the hospital so that he could keep an eye on you, just in case."  
  
_What...?_  
  
The young man couldn't even begin to make sense of what she was telling him. No matter how much he tried, the result taking shape amidst the fog of his mind was always the same – a huge question mark.  
  
"I brought you your uniform, but..." she went on, glancing down at a bag resting against the legs of her chair. "I don't think you should be discharged so soon, not when you clearly haven't recovered yet. I'll have the nurse hold onto your uniform until then."  
  
"My uniform...?" Akechi Goro mumbled, and only then did he notice he wasn't wearing his school uniform, but a light blue robe that was much closer to a dressing gown than a regular hospital one. His features twisted into a grimace at the thought that somebody had to have witnessed the ink scarring his skin while undressing him, and he suddenly felt queasy.  
  
Said thought had scarcely finished crossing his mind when a horrible realization piled up on top of it, and he hastily yanked his covers up to his neck. Confusion broke over the prosecutor's face, and she did just about the one thing he didn't want her to – she pressed the issue. "What's the matter?"  
  
Akechi Goro felt like he had been struck by lightning. He furiously shook his head in shame, but Niijima Sae refused to take the hint.  
  
"Akechi-kun, what's wrong?" she insisted, a distant note of authority mixing with her otherwise worried tone of voice. The teenager responded by letting out a whimper, prompting her to once again resort to the method she knew worked best on him. He unwillingly shrank under her glare, painfully aware this was one situation he wouldn't worm his way out of anytime soon.  
  
"Um, you... you saw them, didn't you...?" he asked in a trembling voice, not daring to so much as look her in the eye. He knew what she was going to say, of course, and braced himself for the wor–  
  
"Saw what? Just what are you talking about, Akechi-kun?"  
  
For a moment, all Akechi Goro could do was gape. He blinked several times, unable to believe his ears, but he couldn't pretend he wasn't relieved. Internally thanking whatever entity had been merciful enough to spare him further embarrassment, he gave her a very awkward smile. "Oh, um... N-Nevermind, Sae-san. Don't worry about–"  
  
Niijima Sae's frown returned before he could even finish, and that was enough for him to think he might have been a bit too quick to express his gratitude.  
  
"It is hard not to worry about it when you look paler than a ghost." she nagged, making it clear her patience was wearing thin. "Tell me what's bothering you already. What did you mean by seeing them? Seeing what?"  
  
Akechi Goro groaned, both in frustration and distress. She really was going to make him say it, wasn't she...?  
  
"The ta... the t-tattoos..." he muttered, so quietly that he barely heard himself speak – and apparently, Niijima Sae didn't either. She tilted her head to the side in incomprehension, and he swore he was about to explode.  
  
"Dammit, Sae-san, I'm talking about those!" he whimpered while reluctantly letting go of the covers, revealing his neck and collarbones. She looked at him like he had lost his mind.  
  
"Akechi-kun... What am I supposed to look at, exactly?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious?!" he snapped despite himself, gesturing frantically toward his bare skin. "How can you miss them, they are right he–"  
  
As if someone suddenly cast a time-stopping spell on him, Akechi Goro entirely froze, his eyes transfixed on himself. His pulse starting to quicken, he hurriedly drew up one of his sleeves with a trembling hand and couldn't help but gasp. It felt like an eternity passed before he recovered his ability to speak.  
  
"They're... They're gone..."  
  
Niijima Sae's eyes were just as wide as his – although not for the same reason, that much was clear.  
  
"They're gone... They're really gone!" he cried out again, overwhelmed by a tidal wave of half-astonishment, half-excitement at the sight of his skin, entirely pristine and devoid of the ink and the scars that used to taint it.  
  
"Akechi-kun, just what in the world are you talking about?" Niijima Sae inquired, looking the most confused he had ever seen her be in a while.  
  
"The tattoos! They're gone!" he exclaimed like an excited child, unable to hold his exuberance in any longer. He knew she couldn't understand, but this was currently the least of his concerns. The joy of being _spotless again_  was intoxicating, especially when he had already resigned himself to remaining physically tainted for the rest of his life. Try as he might, he couldn't tear his eyes off his skin. It felt almost strange to see it looking so clear again. Nobody could guess it used to bear black ink and ugly scars, as though they had never been there to begin wi–  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes widened, a powerful realization slowly sinking in.   
... Could it be that the tattoos and scars actually weren't gone, but that they really never existed in the first place...?  
The longer he thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make, and the firmer his conviction was...  
Yes... he was sure of it now. What he was witnessing was the proof that he succeeded, there was no doubt about it. History had changed once and for all, and if Sophia's words could be trusted, it was fair to assume he was currently living a present where he never chose to stray down the shadows... A present where he could perhaps walk in the light instead, like he always wanted...  
  
The teenager's heart started beating faster. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, and despite himself, he let out a chuckle that was a mixture of triumph, relief, and disbelief. It was only when she spoke up that he remembered Niijima Sae's presence.  
  
"The tattoos are gone? From your skin, you mean?" she asked in confusion, but her expression didn't take long to change again, into something that was close to the last thing he had expected to see – a look of pity. "Oh, so that's why you were looking so distraught earlier... To think you would be confused to the point that you would even mix up reality with a dream..."  
  
The words took a very long time to sink in. Akechi Goro looked at her, his mouth still frozen in a wide smile that was almost silly-looking. "... What?"  
  
"Don't worry, everything is alright now." she said reassuringly – except that her words came accompanied by layers after layers of unease crushing the teenager with all their weight, each one heavier than the last. "You never had any tattoos, Akechi-kun. This was all just some senseless dream. You can rest easy."  
  
The longer she went on, the more Akechi Goro's smile faded. When she stopped, all that remained was a straight line. A dream...?  
  
The teenager felt somewhat lightheaded all of a sudden. He brought a hand to his face, scrambling to make sense of the thousands of thoughts jostling one another inside his mind. The prosecutor's words rang through his head like dozens of alarm bells, and as the color slowly drained from his face, his breathing became progressively more strained. The unthinkable was screaming at him to acknowledge it, but he just couldn't comply, he couldn't. No, there was no way he could even begin to consider that if the tattoos were gone, it might be not because he succeeded, but because yes, they were just part of a dream. Following this line of thought, this would mean that...  
  
_No... That can't be true. There's no way everything else was..._  
  
Waking up in the dark corridor. Encountering S – Sophia. Suffering painful electric burns. Using the Judge against the illusion who wanted him dead. Being oblivious to the crows observing him. Uncovering Okumura's secret. Being told he committed the sin of irritum – vanity. Stopping the quarrel between Sakamoto and his bully. Feeling powerless upon discovering the ink carved into his skin. Having to lie to Niijima Sae in order to escape. Walking through the raging thunderstorm. Being warned he could be next tomorrow. Listening to the superstitious man. Calling Joker by his first name. Enduring the Phantom Thieves' distrust. Going through the greatest failure of his life. Witnessing Kurusu Akira's funeral. Departing for a destination that belonged to a past he had already forgotten. Feeling like a child all over again upon reuniting with his mother. Finally making peace with his father somewhat. He lived those memories. He experienced them all. He triumphed over them. It was absurd that it could have been all a dream – no, utterly insane. Yet, he couldn't find the conviction to use the word "impossible," and this was perhaps what frightened him the most.  
  
From somewhere very far away, he heard Niijima Sae say something. Judging by the little he managed to pick up, she was worried about him, but trying to reassure her was more than he could ever manage in that moment.  
  
"You're... You're wrong, Sae-san..." he murmured, his eyes vacant and his hands trembling beyond his control. "If this was all a dream, this means that I am still... I am still..."  
  
His voice broke, as though his body itself urged him not to say the rest. Perhaps because he was all too aware that admitting it aloud would mean acknowledging there never really was any hope of salvation, not for him. Self-preservation was kicking in, all for the sake of keeping his mind intact – that is, as intact as a fissured mind could be.  
  
"Akechi-kun. Look at me."  
  
As if freed from some sort of hypnosis, Akechi Goro blinked and redirected his entire attention to her. It took several seconds, but the prosecutor's serious expression eventually melted into a soothing smile. There was something healing about it, and he could feel his body slowly begin to relax even in spite of the circumstances.  
  
"You must be exhausted. You will feel much better once you get some proper rest." she said gently, and then reached for something inside her handbag. "But before that..."  
  
Akechi Goro could only watch in confusion as she put a small flat box on his lap, covered with a transparent lid.  
  
"When the nurse called me this morning to let me know you were stirring a lot in your sleep and would most likely wake up soon, I decided to order some takeout before coming here." she explained while rearing back on her seat. "The hospital normally forbids visitors to bring food to patients, but I figured sneaking you a box of sushi would cheer you up."  
  
It felt like eons passed before Akechi Goro fully comprehended her gesture. His eyes met with hers. Within their depths was reflected something other than consideration, concern or mischief – a hint of affection. A faint heat rose to his cheeks, just like it did each time he was confronted to this strange yet fascinating concept he had pursued all his life. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so touched – or the last time somebody showed him so much thoughtfulness. He wracked his brain for a proper response, but all he eventually found to say was...  
  
"... Thanks, Sae-san."  
  
His head drooped onto his chest, and his smile turned sad, almost wry. Once again, he felt ashamed of himself for not being sure how to handle affection or even how to properly express his gratitude, unlike the rest of the normal, functioning world.  
... He was entirely oblivious to it, but the smile he gave her before averting his gaze conveyed what he wanted just fine. The way Niijima Sae's eyes turned to crescents for a moment told as much.  
  
"You're welcome." she simply replied, her expression and tone back to being poised as ever. "Eat up before the nurse catches you in the act. I won't hear the end of it otherwise."  
  
Akechi Goro nodded obediently and opened the box. As she watched him break the chopsticks apart, she gave what seemed like a somewhat guilty smile. "It wasn't reasonable, but I ended up ordering one box for myself as well, even though I had already packed my own lunch this morning. I was really craving sushi for some reason... Probably because it's been ages since we've last been to this place."  
  
The young man looked at her. Although they sounded much more distant this time, the alarm bells inside his head began to ring once again. "You mean... This sushi is from..."  
  
"From the conveyor belt place, yes." she finished casually, and Akechi Goro felt a slow drop of sweat trickle down his back. "They were having a special offer today. Eight sushi for the price of six, all kinds of toppings included."  
  
"Ah... I see..."  
  
If Niijima Sae noticed the nervous twitch to his smile, it didn't show. Silently berating himself for failing to see it coming, he finally took a much closer peek at the box. Sure enough, there wasn't a single sushi inside that looked even remotely appetizing...  
  
The twinkle of expectation gleaming in her eyes urged him to discard the thought as quickly as it came to him and at last, he took a bite out of one of the least misshapen sushi. The longer he chewed, the rounder his curious eyes were, and he found himself chomping down on the other half with much less hesitation. He knew it was a rather silly thought, yet a part of him couldn't help but wonder if the sushi tasted better than expected because Niijima Sae gave it to him as a present...  
  
"This late already?" she suddenly muttered upon checking the time on her watch. "I should get back to work. Those case files aren't going to review themselves."  
  
While she couldn't have made it more obvious she was in a hurry, she still patiently waited for the teenager to finish his meal. Unwilling to waste her time any further, he hastily gobbled up his last piece of sushi and once again expressed his thanks as he handed her the now empty box back, which she discreetly tucked inside her handbag. The next moment, she was at the door, and Niijima Sae addressed Akechi Goro one last time.  
  
"Get well soon, Akechi-kun. I am getting tired of your fans at the station pestering me about your condition every time I run into them." she complained, although the teasing note in her words was a dead giveaway she wasn't as annoyed as she claimed to be. She then let out a sigh of weariness, and her tone dropped to a thoughtful mutter. "At least they'll stop being worried once they learn you woke up and are feeling relatively well, I suppose."  
  
Akechi Goro answered with an awkward chuckle which she paid no mind to. The clicking of her heels resonated outside the room for quite some time until it faded, leaving the teenager with only silence and the return of his chaotic thoughts to keep him company. Niijima Sae's reassuring presence had managed to temporarily purge them, but the seeds of doubt were now blossoming within his mind again, consuming everything that stood in their way. Everything, that is, save for the stubborn, almost childishly so part of him deeply ingrained into his very structure, refusing to be uprooted. Perhaps it really had been all a dream. Perhaps his hands were still covered in blood, and perhaps he would be soon forced to acknowledge it. Even so, he would keep on believing until then. For the time being, Akechi Goro had been saved. He had to be.  
  
The sudden rattle of a doorknob yanked him back to reality and the teenager's head snapped up, his gaze wary as the door behind which Niijima Sae had disappeared very slowly creaked open again. Somebody peeked inside the room, clearly looking for something, only for their expression to immediately brighten upon noticing the brown-haired boy lying in bed. Smiling grey eyes met with stunned maroon ones, and for a moment, it felt like the world had stopped mid-motion.  
  
"... Joker?!"  
  
Akechi Goro's cry of surprise was all it took to break the magic spell. He sat bolt upright at once, gaping at the sight of Kurusu Akira's gentle gaze boring into him. It felt like it took an eternity for him to break free from his trance. His lips parted before he could even think what he wanted to say, but the only sound that eventually came out was voiced puzzlement as a mischievous glint suddenly flashed in the black-haired boy's eyes. By the time he recovered his speech, Kurusu Akira was already gone, closing the door swiftly behind him and leaving an utterly confused Akechi Goro alone in the room.  
  
"Ah... Wait!"  
  
Not taking the time to think, the young man yanked his covers away, shot up and ran to the door. His legs were trembling slightly, and not because of the cold floor under his bare feet. Quick like a flash, he pulled the door open and leapt through it, his eyes darting everywhere so as to catch a glimpse of the black-haired boy...  
  
... and then skidded to a halt.  
  
"... Huh...?"  
  
He wasn't really sure what else to say. He looked around in utter confusion, but he couldn't see a single trace of Kurusu Akira. In fact, he couldn't see anything at all. What stretched out before his eyes wasn't the corridor of a hospital but pure obscurity, as though the entire world was gone, and only Akechi Goro remained. One thing was still visible, however – his own body, and he could only stare in incomprehension as he finally noticed his dressing gown had given way to the royal red, gold and white of his princely attire, Venetian mask included. He had scarcely begun to wonder what caused the sudden materialization when the click of a door being locked rang out behind him, prompting him to swing around and face the door to his hospital room, eerily visible amidst the darkness. With a somewhat shaky hand, he grabbed hold of the doorknob to turn it, and the rattle it produced was enough of a confirmation. The door was undeniably and irrevocably locked, as if to tell him that from this point onward, there was no turning back. Yes, the message was clear. All Akechi Goro could now do was moving forward... whether he liked it or not.  
  
Slowly, the young man began his advance through the unknown. He didn't question anything. He didn't scramble to make sense of the impossible dimension he found himself in. He didn't try to rationalize what was happening anymore. He just kept walking, his destination unclear, his objective undetermined. It was as though somebody was leading him by the hand, and he was passively complying without a word.  
  
This might be why he felt no surprise whatsoever even in spite of the oriental garden slowly coming into being with each of his steps. Something beyond his imagination and comprehension alike was unfolding before his eyes, but he simply, merely stared. Under the gloomy sky looming over it all, the garden was looking somewhat dull. Not a single hint of blue managed to pierce through the mantle of grayish white clouds engulfing the atmosphere, and there was a humid quality to the air that felt rather unpleasant. He wandered around aimlessly, only throwing sideways glances at the hundreds of lily pads that painted the surface of the stagnant and shallow ponds he came across. The path of paving stones he was following ended with the beginning of a long bridge arching over a canal. It was a grand yet simple structure, a splotch of red paint amidst an otherwise completely green scenery. The garden didn't continue beyond the bridge. Instead stood only a riverbank and a wide, murky lake extending toward a line of dense woods far ahead. In that otherworldly and luxuriant place, there was one thing that didn't belong. By the waterside, busy aiming a bow toward the sky above, was a man. Shidou.  
  
The teenager's eyes, strangely enough, remained entirely devoid of surprise. He slowly approached, only vaguely wondering what exactly his father was doing with a bow in the first place, and watched as Shidou shot arrow after arrow upward for a reason that escaped him. Instead of curving back toward the lake, each one of them managed by some strange phenomenon to pierce through the gloomy clouds and vanished, swallowed within the stratosphere. Yet, the dejected sigh Shidou let out after another two or three shots suggested that whatever end results he was hoping to achieve, he was not getting any of them.  
  
"It's no use... I suppose I really am unfit to guide this country toward a bright future after all..."  
  
Shidou had started muttering to himself, in a manner reminiscent of someone whose mind wasn't entirely there anymore. He slowly lowered his bow and let out a self-deprecating, subdued snicker. "Heh... Then again, it wouldn't make sense for the rotten to be able to dispel the darkness when there isn't an ounce of light to be found within them... Ah, Akechi. Good timing."  
  
Akechi Goro straightened up at once, caught off-guard by the sudden acknowledgment. Shidou beckoned him to approach, and the thought of ignoring him didn't cross the teenager's mind for even an instant, although puzzlement certainly did. Hesitation and curiosity apparent in his gait, he slowly complied, until his father was within arm's reach. He wasn't sure why, but the vibe Shidou gave off felt unfamiliar, almost foreign, and not simply because he had swapped his usual black suit for a white one. His orange-tinted glasses were nowhere to be seen as well, allowing a better glimpse of those amber eyes which looked much less ruthless than Akechi Goro remembered them to be. This had to be proof he successfully changed his father's heart... right?  
  
This was as far as that line of thought would go. Shidou suddenly presented the young man with his bow, effectively drawing his entire attention back to him – and earning a look of utter confusion in the process.  
  
"I wonder... If it is you, there might be a chance." he murmured, so quietly it seemed as though he was talking to himself. "Yes, it wouldn't hurt to give it a try."  
  
Saying Akechi Goro had no idea what he was talking about would be an understatement. Apparently, this was enough to summon the familiar impatience Shidou had expressed so many times in the past – his features creased into a severe expression, and his next words came out very much like those of a disapproving father scolding his son. "What are you standing there for? Take it already."  
  
The forceful edge dripping off his command was an obvious hint Akechi Goro had no say in the matter. Telling himself this might make some sort of sense later on, he extended an arm and slowly took the bow in both hands. A short pause went by as he awaited his instructions, but Shidou's silence suggested that he wasn't inclined to provide any. He merely looked at him expectantly, as though the teenager was supposed to already know what he had in mind.  
  
"Um, what do you want me to do, Shidou-san?" he eventually asked awkwardly, all too aware this wouldn't sit well with the older man. Sure enough, Shidou's frown deepened, and his answer was akin to a small bark.  
  
"This should be obvious. I want you to shoot an arrow toward the sky like I did earlier."  
  
"... May I ask why–"  
  
Shidou's blank stare was enough to make him trail off and realize that no, he may not ask why. The look of half-confusion, half-wariness on his face gave way to the beginning of a frustrated frown.  
  
"But I don't know how to use a bow." he tried to argue, only to realize, as the older man rolled his eyes, that he was fighting a losing battle. Very grudgingly, he finally admitted defeat and took on what he believed was an acceptable enough archer stance, somehow managed to secure between his fingers the arrow Shidou gave him, and aimed skyward. For a moment, he stood entirely still, until he finally released the arrow... and watched as it traced an invisible semi-circle in the air before it finished its flight right into the lake with a subdued, almost insulting sinking sound.  
  
If Shidou believed his attempt at concealing his mocking chuckle by looking away was a success, he was gravely mistaken. Akechi Goro swallowed the venomous remark he wanted to say – although the glare he shot his father conveyed more than his words ever could – and practically snatched a spare arrow from Shidou's hand. Driven by a sudden surge of childish competitiveness he had much trouble keeping in check, he took aim again, only for his eyes to open wide. Something was suddenly stirring within his very core – a mixture of warmth and positive energy, overflowing through every last nerve.  
  
... Perhaps it was due to Robin Hood's influence, he thought as he prepared himself to shoot, but the possibility that he might fail again now felt like a joke. This outcome was simply impossible – no, utterly absurd. It felt as though he had practiced archery his entire life, and as such, failure was nothing but a laughable, foreign concept. It was with this absolute certainty that he let go of the arrow. Akin to a boulder catapulted into the far distance, it flew across the air and pierced through the sky, never to return. For a moment, nothing remarkable happened. But then, it appeared – a very faint stream of light descending from the clouds, coming through the tiny opening the arrow had breached. It was very little, barely visible, but even so, it felt like a glimpse of heaven itself.  
  
"Hmph... Not too bad. I expected the clouds to clear, but that's a start." Shidou acknowledged with a sort of satisfied smirk as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Unlike me, perhaps you are not too far gone yet."  
  
And before Akechi Goro could even begin to figure out how to respond to this, he was surprised by a medium-sized box being held out to him. Shidou had quite literally pulled it out of nowhere, much to the teenager's confusion, but perhaps even stranger was the cheerful paper wrapped all around it. It looked like nothing else so much as a birthday present.  
  
"... What is this?" he inquired while eyeing his father suspiciously.  
  
"Your reward." the older man laconically replied, and the very audible note of impatience in his voice practically spelled out how stupid Akechi Goro was to even feel the need to ask. Muttering petulantly under his breath, the teenager eventually laid the bow on the grass, took the box in both hands and very slowly, very cautiously lifted the lid. An interminable silence dragged by before Shidou spoke up again. "Well, what do you think?"  
  
The question was a hard one. Akechi Goro looked up at him, his eyebrows knitted in disbelief. Given his father's eagerness to find out how they would be received, the contents of the box were definitely a source of pride, that much was clear.  
  
Except there was nothing inside the box. It was utterly and completely empty.  
  
"Um, there's nothing inside." the teenager pointed out at last, feeling suddenly very stupid for some reason.  
  
Shidou seemed unfazed by the absurdity of the situation. He merely shrugged in dismissal. "Really now? In that case, you might as well use it to store what is truly important to you."  
  
"... Huh?" was all Akechi Goro could think of in response, but it appeared Shidou didn't hear him. A strange far-off look in his eyes gleamed as he continued.  
  
"The thing most important to you... Why don't you go find it?"  
  
For a moment, the teenager simply remained there, rooted to the spot as the howl of a high wind carried from the distance. His brain was scrambling to make sense of the enigmatic suggestion, only to come up blank.  
  
"Well then, good luck." Shidou eventually said curtly as he turned around, toward the bridge Akechi Goro had come from. He started walking away, his silhouette growing smaller and smaller with each of his steps, and never looked back.  
  
Without warning, a powerful urge to stop him from leaving suddenly overcame the brown-haired boy. He wasn't sure why, he couldn't even begin to guess why, but the mere possibility that Shidou might be gone any second now was more than he could bear. The muscles inside his throat tightened into a choking knot and, choosing to follow his instinct, he scampered after his father. When he asked, the pleading note in his voice was apparent.  
  
"Where... are you going?"  
  
Shidou didn't immediately respond. He merely kept walking, his gaze locked dead ahead of him. But then, he stopped. "This isn't something you should concern yourself with. Just forget about me."  
  
His answer was straightforward and blunt, without a hint of hesitation. Yet, Akechi Goro couldn't detect any trace of cruelty or malice behind it.  
  
"Shidou-san..." he muttered despite himself, his eyes downcast. He wanted to add something else, but–  
  
"That's enough. It is about time you stop being childish and move on, Akechi." the older man snapped, staring down at him with an expression that wasn't as severe as the strict tone in his speech. "I don't think we will see each other ever again. This is farewell."  
  
Akechi Goro shot up his head in surprise, only to immediately let his gaze fall to his feet again. A sharp needle of sorrow pricked his heart, but he found nothing to say – no counterargument, no objection, nothing. As his father disappeared, never to be seen again, all he could do... was simply watch.  
  
He wasn't sure how much time passed. The numbness spreading from the very center of his being was now slowly reaching his mind. He could vaguely feel himself being carried away by his legs, dragged to a destination that had long lost any significance. It did occur to him to discard the box his father gave him, but he couldn't bring himself to comply for some reason, and ended up holding it tighter against his chest. As he walked, the cool wind around him was getting milder, a bit warmer – but the cold emptiness seizing his heart remained. Before he knew it, he found himself in a large, sloped field. The gloomy grey hanging over him had given way to a purer shade of white, sunless but still too bright to be stared at longer than a few minutes. Like a vast green sea, the blades of grass running toward the horizon swayed together in the wind that blew across them. There was not a sound, not a soul. Only green and white as far as the eye could see, an expanse with neither beginning nor end, a solitary and remote place exempt of even the faintest traces of human life.  
  
In that moment, Akechi Goro truly felt like he was the last man on Earth. Yet, he wasn't alone. Guided by some mysterious force, or so it felt like, he climbed up the slope to the sound of cawing echoing louder and louder the closer he was to its source. And there, at the very top of the hill, he saw him. He was sitting on a bench, facing the horizon and bending toward the ground as dozens and dozens of crows croaked at his feet, wolfing down the seeds he was feeding them. Many of them were perched on the bench while some others had decided to settle on his shoulders and upper back, but if he felt inconvenienced, it didn't show. A sole tree overlooked the scene, offering some sort of protection against the blinding white sky.  
  
It was probably because Akechi Goro had come from behind his back, but he didn't immediately take notice of him. It was only because of several crows suddenly leaping onto the seatback of the bench – apparently curious as to who the newcomer was – that he became aware of the teenager's presence, and he promptly looked over his shoulder. His vaguely curious expression turned into a smirk, and unsurprisingly enough, the first thing that came out of his mouth was a taunt.  
  
"If it isn't the captain's bastard. What are you doing here?"  
  
Even though it seemed like an entire lifetime had passed since that unspeakable day, the fake Akechi was looking just the same as ever. Akechi Goro felt a layer of sweat envelop his entire body. It was as if a devilish spirit was playing a cruel prank on him – branding the image of this empty gaze into his retinas and hammering the sound of this unnervingly slow tone of voice into his head, should they start to fade from his mind.  
  
But of course, there was no need to go to such lengths. Reminder or not, a thousand years could go by... and Akechi Goro still wouldn't forget.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." he replied quietly, forcing himself to sound as calm as possible, and doing a rather good job at it all things considered.  
  
A trace of surprise crossed the double's face at those words, but it lasted only a moment. Seconds later, his entire attitude was practically oozing smug arrogance and condescension again... like it always did. "... Now that's surprising. I guess taunting you doesn't work anymore, does it. It's almost a shame... It was rather fun watching you getting all riled up back then."  
  
A sound of fluttering wings rang out as he straightened up, forcing the crows to forsake their human perch and settle for the ground at his feet. His features now unreadable, he carefully studied Akechi Goro's face, and then gestured at the bench. "Come on. Sit."  
  
This was close to the last thing the young man had expected to hear. Sensing his hesitation, the entity waved his hand in dismissal.  
  
"I am not planning to do anything to you." he promised in a flash of insight. "There's... no more point."  
  
For several minutes that went on forever, only the cawing of the crows kept the silence at bay. Akechi Goro stared at him, at this manifestation of his very sins, this being whose gaze alone was enough to send a chill down his spine, but eventually... he complied. Slowly, warily, he skirted around the bench, many crows hopping out of the way as he took their place and lay the colorful box beside him. Stillness once again settled in the air, which neither of them tried to interrupt. They simply let it be, silently watching the horizon as a cool gust of wind rustled the foliage above them to life. There was something enjoyable about this atmosphere, the teenager found, a serenity that even the presence of the malevolent entity sitting beside him didn't shatter.  
  
"I want to ask you something."  
  
The double's sudden words were spoken in a serious tone of voice that seemed quite uncharacteristic, coming from him. Akechi Goro couldn't help but feel intrigued. "The captain... He's gone, isn't he?"  
  
He had to wait a moment before he got his answer. The young man in white kept staring into the distance, and when he finally parted his lips, his voice came out in even less than a whisper.  
  
"... Yeah."  
  
Yet another silence went by. The impostor's grim expression was a perfect reflection of the real teenager's. Now more than ever, they looked very much alike, to the point that it was impossible to tell them apart from their faces alone. But then, the entity smirked, and just like that, the mirror shattered.

"Heh, so this is where this feeling that I am about to go is coming from... If the captain is gone, then I really am next." he muttered derisively, but Akechi Goro could sense something else hidden behind his tone of voice. "My existence merely depends on him and his desires, after all..."  
  
The teenager kept quiet. The double let out a very audible exhale before speaking again.  
  
"Still... It was fun while it lasted." he simply added, a faraway look in his eyes.  
  
At the word "fun," a sudden, powerful surge of outrage flared up within Akechi Goro's mind, the sort that eclipsed everything else.  
  
"So this was all really just some kind of game to you..." he murmured, a threatening edge lurking in his speech. "You _were_ enjoying this, taking their lives..."  
  
His growl did not seem to be of particular concern to the double. He merely gave him a flat, unimpressed look. "... Are you trying to say I should feel remorse instead? You are wasting your time."  
  
The teenager opened his mouth to snap back, but he was beaten to the punch. "Guilt, regret, second thoughts... They mean nothing to me. You know why, don't you?"  
  
Akechi Goro's glare subsided. All that remained was a frown, accompanying a dark, bitter mutter.  
  
"... I do." he admitted, though with great effort. "It's because... Shidou sees me this way."  
  
"... Yes, that's right. He always saw you as the perfect hitman."  
  
The way the teenager clenched his fists didn't get past him. His empty stare once again betrayed no emotion. "... This is why I see nothing wrong with my actions. I won't apologize, or try to make up for them. If it is for my captain, I am willing to commit any sin as many times as he needs. There is no changing that."  
  
Akechi Goro's heart suddenly felt tight. He had already heard those words before, but they didn't sting any less.  
  
"And what do you gain from this?" he inquired, not so much out of genuine interest, but because keeping the conversation going distracted him from his unwelcome reminiscence. "What do you gain from being so devoted to Shidou?"  
  
"Everything."  
  
The entity's answer came with neither delay nor hesitation. Akechi Goro couldn't help but feel a bit taken aback.  
  
"Being devoted to him is my purpose in life. Nothing more, nothing less." the being continued matter-of-factly. "Being by his side, becoming his faithful right-hand man, fulfilling his wishes... This is all that matters to me."  
  
A long silence crawled by. It was eventually broken when the teenager spoke, his voice extremely low. "... You don't need to think like that anymore. Shidou no longer has any use for you."  
  
The stare he got in return was intent. It convinced him to elaborate. "You know what I mean. You have... already been dismissed."  
  
Instinctively, he glanced down at the other's neck. Peeking from his collar were very faint, man-made bruises that would likely never fade. The double noticed.  
  
"Hmph. I bet you were gloating when that happened, weren't you?" he asked, his smirk a remarkable attempt at concealing his bitterness.  
  
Akechi Goro gave him a blank stare. His reply was straightforward.  
  
"... No. I wasn't."  
  
The impostor's smirk vanished. He stared at the teenager intently, like he was trying to determine whether he was telling the truth or not. It felt like an eternity passed before he spoke up.  
  
"... But yes, you are right. In the end, even I was forsaken." he admitted, his tone emotionless. "But that doesn't matter. I am still ready to sin."  
  
"... Even after what Shidou did to you?"  
  
No voiced answer came. The double merely nodded. Akechi Goro observed him for a long moment, and then averted his gaze. "... You are just like her."  
  
The entity looked over at him. His features were as always undecipherable, but the young man knew he was intrigued.  
  
"You were both betrayed by Shidou... and yet, you still cling to him regardless of what he did to you, while you both perfectly know what kind of person he is." he continued, his sourness intensifying with each word he uttered. "That blind dependence of yours and hers both... I really don't get it."  
  
"... Really now." the entity said skeptically, prompting Akechi Goro to frown at him in disbelief.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean...?"  
  
"I am just surprised you would say you don't get it, that's all..." the double clarified as the shadow of a smirk lingered on his face again. "I mean, you look down on me and whoever you are talking about for acting the way we do, but what about you? Weren't you the one who desperately wanted the captain's approval? Weren't you the one who was practically jumping for joy deep down because he was relying on you? Weren't you the one who couldn't wait to assist him further not only because it brought you closer to your goal, but also because you wanted more of his praise? Weren't you the–"  
  
"Alright, alright! I get it already!"  
  
Akechi Goro groaned, his annoyance and frustration at their peak. The entity snorted in what was clearly triumph, but thankfully – and surprisingly – seemed to decide he could for once not twist the knife further in. He fell silent.  
  
"It's true... Even though I hated him and was ready to make his life a living hell, a part of me just couldn't stop wishing he would... treat me like his son." the real teenager admitted, his entire body sagging on the bench before he let out an unvolutarily, self-derisive snicker. "It was stupid of me, wasn't it? To expect something like that from the person I swore revenge on..."  
  
"... I don't think it was stupid." the double replied in a sort of unconcerned manner, although he did look thoughtful. "What you wanted the most from him was his acknowledgment, after all. His affection."  
  
Akechi Goro blinked, caught off-guard by this sudden and unexpected display of understanding. But puzzlement wasn't the only emotion that traveled to his brain – it had stirred into consciousness a once dormant pang of bitterness which he knew would never erode.  
  
"Yeah... But in the end, I never got either of them." he muttered gloomily. He looked up straight at his impostor, who returned his gaze with the merest flicker of curiosity. Akechi Goro contemplated him for a little while longer, and then let his eyes fall down again as he added something else.  
  
"This is why... I was envious of you..."  
  
The teenager paused. The being's unwavering stare was the proof that he was listening.  
  
"When he praised you back then, after what happened to the Phantom Thieves... it was like Shidou wasn't aware of my existence anymore. And as I watched, all I could think was... how much I wanted to be in your place."  
  
His voice swayed with each word he uttered. Yet, it remained calm and dignified. He had accepted the truth long ago. "It made me feel almost like I was a stranger. Like I was witnessing something intimate. In that moment, you really were... Shidou's true son."  
  
The impostor didn't respond just yet. He merely peered at him, his empty eyes giving little away. Then, he spoke.  
  
"... It shouldn't bother you that much."  
  
The young man looked up at once, eyes wide and chest tight. "Huh...?"  
  
"You're right, I am the captain's true son. I take pride in being a Shidou." the entity elaborated, and Akechi Goro winced as if physically hit. The other didn't seem fazed. "But you need to remember... it was your choice that allowed me to take your place, and nothing else."  
  
"My choice...?" the teenager echoed in confusion, but even as he did, the impostor's voice resonated again – this time inside his head, sounding more and more distinct as the memory slowly sprang from the depths of his mind.  
  
_"So... what is it going to be? Akechi?... Or Shidou?"  
  
_ A glint flashed in the double's eyes. He knew Akechi Goro had remembered.  
  
"You said back then that you were Akechi." he reminded while straightening up a bit. "And by doing that, you turned your back on the captain of your own free will. That was the moment... when you gave up on him for good."  
  
Akechi Goro kept quiet. The entity cast him a sideways glance, before looking straight ahead toward the white horizon.  
  
"This is why you should move on already. You have made your choice, and so I have made mine. I will keep on walking down the path born from my father's footsteps... while you can follow the path that was laid out by your mother, the person you ultimately chose as the one you would truly be faithful to. Sooner or later, you and I will find our way."  
  
"... And if we don't?"  
  
The double didn't answer right away. Empty, nearly dead eyes met with very much living ones, until they looked away once more. "Then... I guess we will have to believe in the choices we made even more."  
  
The teenager's throat felt tight. His head drooped onto his chest, casting his eyes in the shade of his bangs. He said nothing, but the tiny nod he gave, so slight it had been nearly unnoticeable, expressed his understanding in ways that words could never hope to achieve.  
  
Time passed. A mild breeze rose, making the young man's hair flutter gently as it brushed past his face.  
  
"Looks like the sky is clearing up a bit." he heard the impostor remark beside him. He didn't look up to see for himself.  
  
Stillness returned over them. He could sense the being's stare upon him. A short moment went by, then–  
  
"You are not going to ask me where we are?"  
  
Akechi Goro stayed silent. It was only when it seemed as though he had decided to ignore the question entirely that he finally answered.  
  
"... I don't care about that. I just... want to go home."  
  
"Home?" the double echoed, observing him intently. "Where is that?"  
  
A flash of surprise stole over the teenager's features. His eyes met with the other's briefly, until they fell down again. "I... don't know."  
  
"Hmph. Figures."  
  
With that, the entity resumed throwing fistfuls of seeds to the flock of hungry crows. Akechi Goro surveyed him curiously, a bit taken aback. He looked almost disappointed for some reason... but perhaps he was just imagining things.  
  
Silence engulfed them yet again, and the end of the young man's short distraction meant the return of his gloom. He threw a vague look around, his eyes stopping on the birds at his feet as they pushed each other around, gobbling up the seeds the second they hit the ground. One of them, now apparently comfortably sated, spread its wings and flew off past the two teenagers without further ado.  
  
"... What's with all those crows anyway." Akechi Goro asked in a tone that was close to a sulk. It was difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the number of birds leaping and cawing around. There had to be a good fifty of them...  
  
"I don't know. I guess they have taken a liking to me somehow." the impostor answered without looking at him. "It's rather funny, come to think of it... It is common belief that crows are an omen of death and misfortune after all. Fitting, for a killer."

The final part sounded almost like an afterthought, as though he were discussing nothing more interesting than an office job. Akechi Goro's eyes fell. He didn't think too much about it before, but he was beginning to regret accepting "Crow" as his code name, let alone suggesting "Karasu" in the first place...

Even as he was brooding over the memory, he felt a long, meaningful stare burning into him. He had the very unpleasant feeling the impostor knew exactly what he was thinking about. The smirk appearing on his face before he opened his mouth only served to cement the hunch in the teenager's mind, prompting him to brace himself for the inevitable taunt.  
  
"I don't think it's fair, though. That crows have such a bad reputation, I mean."  
  
Akechi Goro blinked. The impostor had resumed throwing fistfuls of seeds at his feet, his smirk gone in favor of some sort of expression he wasn't sure how to interpret.  
  
"They are smart, great at adapting and resourceful." he continued matter-of-factly. "They don't need those baseless superstitions about lurking around death and misfortune bringing them down... especially when I am rather sure they wouldn't care less about a murderer like myself If I didn't happen to be the one feeding them."  
  
The young man could think of nothing to say in response. He merely kept observing the scene, like he was in some sort of trance. But then, the entity stopped, his empty eyes flitting back and forth upon the flock of crows, clearly looking for something.  
  
"What's the matter?" Akechi Goro asked, his eyebrows knitting together in wariness.  
  
There was a delay to the double's answer. He surveyed the birds for several more moments, and then spoke. "... There's one missing."  
  
The teenager opened his mouth, but his question was forestalled before he could get out even a word.  
  
"I know, because it's the only one that always ignores the seeds." the entity explained, his gaze still riveted on the birds. "It only eats crumbles... Sweet ones. And not from croissants, buns or scones... Only melon bread, for some reason."  
  
At those words, Akechi Goro instinctively brought a hand to his face, deep in thought.  
  
"Melon bread...?" he murmured to himself as something stirred within the most obscure parts of his mind. The impostor's eyebrows shot up almost imperceptibly, but after taking several moments to think, the young man decided there was no point in sharing his realization. "... It's nothing."  
  
The entity didn't press the issue.  
  
"... I wonder where it went." he said quietly, and the teenager thought he heard the faintest note of concern in his slow tone of voice. "I have to admit, I am surprised it isn't here with the others. It knows it's usually around that time I feed them all."  
  
With this, he threw the last of his seeds to the pack of birds. Akechi Goro frowned in thought.  
  
"... You sure seem to care about that crow a lot." he remarked, and the impostor's lips curved into some sort of smirk.  
  
"Hmph, I would be lying if I said I didn't. That crow was the first I ever met. The others came later on."  
  
He interrupted himself and reared back on the bench. And just when the seconds of silence were about to become minutes–  
  
"... I find them fascinating, you know. Crows."  
  
Akechi Goro shot him a curious look. The double's smirk had vanished just as fast as it had surfaced. "People link them to misery and despair... while blindly failing to notice they possess the very same quality mankind admires in any bird that isn't a crow. Freedom."  
  
The final word resonated inside the young man's head, lodging itself into every last recess of his mind. His glazed eyes gave nothing away.  
  
"This is why I find crows so intriguing. They are associated with the darkness of bad omens, but crows are first of all birds, which are themselves associated with the light of freedom." the impostor went on, gazing at the crows around his feet as several scanned the ground for seeds they might have overlooked. "Don't you find that contradiction interesting? Doesn't that seem like a paradox to you?"  
  
The teenager didn't reply. A short silence went by before the double spoke again. "And the funny thing about paradoxes is that they are neither right nor wrong. What truly matters isn't the paradox itself. The way you answer it does."  
  
Again, Akechi Goro said nothing. His gaze was focused straight ahead toward the horizon. Just like the double pointed out earlier, the sky had indeed cleared up a bit. A light blue canvas was peeking here and there through many breaks in the dissolving cloaks of white, where shone in their very middle a radiant sun, its shafts of gold blinding against the dark shadows of the clouds that partially concealed it.  
  
The entity's drawling voice unceremoniously dragged him out of his contemplation.  
  
"So... what do you think?"  
  
"... Think about what?" Akechi Goro asked, his blank expression unchanging.  
  
"About what crows truly represent." the double clarified as his eyes bore into him, their sight piercing. "In the end, do you believe them to be a symbol of darkness?... Or light?"  
  
For a moment, nature was the sole source of sound. The branches of the tree swayed gently in the wind, accompanied by the soft, lulling rustle of leaves overhead. From somewhere far away, Akechi Goro thought he could hear the twittering of springtime birds.  
  
Just as he was parting his lips to give his answer, a sound of fluttering wings suddenly came from behind, prompting him to throw a look over his shoulder. His gaze followed a coming crow which landed on the impostor's lap.  
  
"Isn't that the missing–" he began, an unbidden note of hope lying underneath his surprised tone, but the entity shot him down before he could even finish.  
  
"... No. This crow is the one that flew off earlier after I fed it." he denied slowly while the bird leapt closer and poked him impatiently in the stomach. He gazed back without the vaguest change in his dull, lifeless eyes. "... I think it wants to give me something."  
  
Sure enough, there was a small, sphere-shaped white item secured in its beak. The double reached out and gently removed it from the bird's clasp, examining it between the tip of his gloved thumb and index finger. "Ah... Looks like an eyeball."  
  
"What?!" Akechi Goro cried out as the crow hopped back within the flock, both his body and heart bolting upright.  
  
The double turned his head toward him. He gave him a very long, impassive stare. "... I was kidding. It's a marble."  
  
As the teenager fought a sudden urge to seize him by the throat and squeeze, the impostor pocketed the crow's gift and fell silent, lost in the contemplation of the horizon again. A short moment passed before Akechi Goro finally came to his senses, though his sulky mood remained.  
  
"... Where is this marble coming from anyway." he grumbled, in a manner very like a child clumsily trying to steer the conversation elsewhere after being teased by their sibling. The entity shrugged.  
  
"Well, only kids play with marbles, so if I had to guess... Probably from the orphanage nearby."  
  
Instinctively, Akechi Goro tensed up. His eyes grew lifelessly dull, and his hands gripped the edge of the bench without his knowledge.  
  
"Orphanage...?" he echoed blankly, his annoyance now entirely forgotten as another, much more terrible feeling sank its roots deep within his mind.  
  
"Yeah. Sound familiar?" the entity asked, his lips curling into a smirk that was not quite evil, but not entirely good either. "I believe it is somewhere behind us. It's a rather large building, impossible to miss."  
  
The teenager looked over at him, a frown of wariness creasing his abnormally pale face. His voice sounded an octave lower than usual when he responded. "I didn't come across anything like that on my way here..."

"Oh, I am sure you will stumble upon it eventually if you look for it." the being replied, his smirk never once fading. "It is a very _persistent_ place."  
  
Akechi Goro's frown deepened. His eyes glared in defiance, but his quickening heartbeat told no lies. "... I am not going there."  
  
"Hmph. Suit yourself."  
  
The matter settled, the double shrugged and gazed down at the crows again, with a faint smile that was quite different from his usual smirks. It was a strange sight, but at the same time... Akechi Goro found it calmed him down a little.  
  
The clouds overhead drifted away lazily as time passed. Soon, the last of them had completely cleared, allowing the sunlight to directly descend upon the earth in all its glory. The young man closed his eyes, silently drinking in the warmth of the sun kissing his face as the gentle breeze rose once more, carrying the smells of spring and the distant singing of unseen birds. It all felt cleansing somehow, he thought as he took a deep breath, like traveling to another land where sin never came to be.  
  
"Hey..."  
  
When he opened his eyes, he noticed the impostor was looking straight ahead again.  
  
"The sensation of killing... Did you ever get used to it?"  
  
The atmosphere around them changed. Akechi Goro stared at him, his breathing louder, his eyes darker.  
  
"... You did, huh." the entity realized, though the teenager was certain he already knew. "It's rather funny... For someone who thought he was never good enough, you truly were great at being a murderer."  
  
The fleeting, almost imperceptible flash of surprise crossing the young man's face didn't get past him. He elaborated right away. "It's the truth, you know. You do possess the quality that separates a good murderer from a second-rate one. Getting used to a sensation that would drive any other human being insane, to the point it becomes some kind of boring routine to you? The greatest gift for killers."  
  
Akechi Goro remained silent. The entity surveyed him a moment, and concluded.

"And this is why... you are part of the best murderers of all. The ones whose minds are so strong, even the weight of their sins is unable to crush them. This mental strength of yours... surpassed most of mankind's."  
  
His gaze was intent. The teenager held it with an air of defiance. "... But it's the same for you, isn't it."  
  
"... You're right. It is."  
  
The impostor's expression remained impassive as he conceded. His tone, so unnervingly slow, was unfathomable. "This is what sets us apart from the rest of the world. Not the amount of blood we shed, not the number of lives we ruin, but the fact that we don't crack under the pressure of guilt like we are supposed to. When it realizes this, society is quick to shunt us aside and show indulgence to the murderers who do crack, because if they do, then they might not be completely abnormal after all, are they? Some of them have body counts that would make ours seem ridiculously low by comparison, but it is you and me... who can no longer be considered normal beings."  
  
His voice trailed off. But then, without warning, a short snicker escaped his lips. "Heh... Come to think of it, I suppose you got what you wanted. In the end, you truly managed to become special."  
  
The silence that followed was apparently not what he expected. His smirk vanished.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked, nothingness permeating his features once more. "Isn't that what you wanted?"  
  
Akechi Goro stared off into the distance. The top of the hill was high, giving him the impression he was sitting on the edge of the world. "... No. Not like this."  
  
His voice was low, imbued with bitterness. But when he continued, it was with a change in his tone. "But it's alright... I don't care about that anymore. I realized there are... many things much more important than being special."  
  
"... Like redeeming yourself, right?"  
  
The young man looked over at him. The entity's chin was held high. "Well, the intent certainly is noble... in addition to being incredibly foolish."  
  
Akechi Goro opened his mouth, but was forestalled before he could speak even a word. "Don't you get it? Redemption is a lie. You could become a saint and people would still see you as nothing but a despicable murderer. So why bother making an effort? What's the point if nobody ever forgives you?"  
  
"I don't care about being forgiven. I just want to work on making things better, even if the world never shows me appreciation for it." the teenager replied calmly, and his expression then shifted into one of resolute solemness. "Maybe I can never do enough good to atone for my past actions... but I will still spend the rest of my life trying to anyway."  
  
The being observed him for a very long time as he contemplated those words. And then, much to Akechi Goro's surprise... he scoffed.  
  
"Hmph. That's quite the statement, for someone who is already dead."  
  
Very slowly, the teenager turned to look at him. The double stared back, his gaze never once wavering. "I remember perfectly, you know. How I killed you back then."  
  
His usual smirk had returned, the one Akechi Goro had witnessed many times back then as he was being toyed with. He could feel his stomach begin to tense.  
  
"... What are you talking about." he muttered, his eyes flashing for a split second. "You never killed me. You killed the Phantom Thieves."  
  
"Ah... you're right. But that was only _last time,_ wasn't it?"   
  
The young man froze. Realization very slowly, very gradually overcame his mind, until he fully comprehended it.  
  
"You remember, don't you?" the entity perceived with his slow, cold tone of voice. "That was the day you got the captain's repayment... for everything you did."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't ask how the double knew about the previous history. The question he did ask could be deemed much less important by comparison, but the young man had to know – or else, the tight knot twisting his stomach might never come undone.  
  
"... What repayment." he said curtly, his eyebrows knitted together in wariness. "Your shot missed. It hit the partition wall of the engine room."  
  
"Did it?" the being asked at once, smirking again. "That's funny... I am pretty sure there was a time when it _did_ hit you somewhere..."  
  
The teenager parted his lips to retort, only to interrupt himself with a sudden gasp. His eyes widened.  
... It had to be his senses playing tricks on him, but he could have sworn he felt an agonizing jolt of pain searing at his side for a split second.  
  
"Yes, that's right... The bullet hit you there." the impostor murmured slowly as he watched him instinctively glance down at his wound – the wound that didn't exist. "It sure was a pathetic death."  
  
Akechi Goro looked back up at him again, his gaze dark. "... This isn't funny."  
  
"... I am not trying to be." the being denied, a distant kind of arrogance lingering in his words. "It really happened, you know. We were holding each other at gunpoint, right there near the wall. And before I knew it... my mind went completely blank. But then..."  
  
His voice trailed off a moment. He surveyed the teenager for what felt like a very long time, and then continued.  
  
"... But then, I came back. And when I did, all I saw was... your broken corpse."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't know how to respond. He merely remained still, his head hung low. A part of him wanted to stubbornly dismiss his impostor's words as just one of his mind games, but deep down, he remembered... he remembered living the very moment he was being told about. He had thought it an imaginary, if nightmarish vision back then, but...  
  
"... I wouldn't be here talking with you if I were dead." he finally declared, his tone firm and resolute. This earned him yet another smirk.  
  
"Hmph. Of course you wouldn't."  
  
The being stretched out his arms in an almost dismissive manner, and then shot the foliage overhead a pensive look. "Still, something doesn't feel right. I wonder what it is..."  
  
Receiving no answer, he threw a glance at the brown-haired boy, whose eyes were obscured beneath his bangs. The entity observed him, and spoke up again. "Are you getting tired of me? Don't worry. I won't bore you much longer."  
  
"... I am not getting tired of you." the teenager replied truthfully without looking up, and the impostor's lips curled into something halfway between a mocking smirk and a genuine smile.  
  
"I'm flattered." he simply said, again with some sort of ironic note in his voice. "It's almost a shame it has to end this way."  
  
A short silence went by. In the end, Akechi Goro couldn't help but ask.  
  
"... Aren't you scared?"  
  
"Hmph. I have no reason to be. Now that I have served my purpose, I am prepared for whatever is coming next." the entity answered, sounding almost offended that the teenager even entertained the thought. "Besides, it isn't like being scared helps a lot, does it. It sure didn't help all those people you've killed."  
  
It was clear he wasn't throwing accusations so much as merely pointing out a fact, but Akechi Goro's stomach gave a jolt all the same. He lowered his eyes, unable to help getting defensive.  
  
"... I didn't have the choice. Because it was kill or be killed." he muttered, prompting in return a thoughtful look.  
  
"Kill or be killed, huh..." the double echoed to himself. "... I wonder about that."  
  
Suddenly, he was smirking – catching the teenager completely off-guard. "What...?"  
  
"You are making it sound like you always had a knife under your throat, but that wasn't the case, was it?" the other wondered, his eyes flickering with mischief. "It is true that the captain was capable of coercion, but it wasn't because you feared for your life that you complied with his orders. Helping him meant helping your plan, after all... and the praise was a nice bonus."  
  
He interrupted himself, letting his words linger in the air. Akechi Goro wanted to retort, but nothing would come out.  
  
"This is why you didn't mind killing that much, right? The same goes for me, and for any other professional killer. The world is quick to judge us evil compared to their own good because of what we do... completely failing to realize their righteous morals are blinding them. It was never about good or evil. It was just about a job that needed to be done, all for the sake of our own purposes. The only time the captain truly had to resort to threatening you was the moment when you were reluctant to obey him, not because you were getting cold feet like he believed... but because by then, your job was already complete. There was no point in killing anymore... since the last wall standing between you and your revenge was gone."  
  
The young man stayed silent. The entity shifted around a bit before speaking again.  
  
"You, me, everyone has a purpose in life. Some people are just prepared to go to farther lengths than most to reach it, whether those lengths are acceptable by society... or not." he explained while gazing at the crows again. "And if they come to regret going that far..."  
  
He threw a sideways glance at the teenager, along with a mischievous smile. "... Well, I guess there is a mountain of work awaiting them."  
  
Akechi Goro stared back intently. He wasn't sure why, nor did he know whether he was imagining it or not... but he thought he could see a glimpse of humanity beyond the empty gaze.  
  
His lips parted, but all that left them instead of words was fascinated silence. He just saw the world right through the impostor's body for a fleeting second before solid flesh flickered into place once more. The double seemed unconcerned.  
  
"Ah... Looks like my time is up." he remarked while stretching out again, as though what just happened was about as exciting as watching grass grow. "Well, it was going to happen one way or another. Besides, you should be looking for your own precious thing."  
  
Once again, his body briefly dimmed away, like it was struggling not to disappear from existence.  
  
"But before I go... here is my last piece of advice for you. No matter how much you hate yourself for it, never forget you got trapped in a life of darkness by your own choice. Do not wallow in self-pity, do not try to make excuses, and do not depend on anybody to find true salvation, because it is up to you, and you alone, to escape this prison whose existence you have only yourself to blame for. From here on out, you're on your own. The only way it should be, for the repentant murderer."  
  
With this, he was gone. Several crows looked up at the now vacant spot on the bench, their eyes alert and unwavering. The next moment, every single one of them took off in a great whirl of flapping wings toward the horizon, and Akechi Goro was all alone again. His sight strayed from the black swarm of birds – now a barely visible point far ahead – to the deserted bench, and with a strange feeling he wasn't able to identify coiling around his heart, he pushed forward.  
  
He knew this wasn't where he was expected to go. His next destination was behind him, but he wouldn't look back. He walked, jogged and then ran, putting as much distance as possible from the one thing he dreaded to ever encounter again, while stubbornly ignoring the voice inside his head labeling him a coward. He would gladly wear the title for the rest of his life if it meant never having to return to this place, and so Akechi Goro kept running.  
  
But of course, the puppet master was never too far, always ready to provide a cruel reminder the moment its puppet would be foolish enough to entertain the idea of escape. As he skidded to a halt and panted for air, all Akechi Goro could think upon seeing the silhouette of a lone, foreboding building in the distance was... that he should have known.  
  
He no longer had any control over his legs now. They were moving on their own, bringing him closer and closer to that hellish threshold. The building looked nothing like any of the institutions he had spent his early years in, but that realization was of little comfort. Different though they might look like, it made no _actual_ difference – they all housed the very same kind of darkness and loneliness he still feared to this day. As he slowly climbed the short flight of stairs leading to the main entrance, he heard it – a flood of auditive memories rushing back in, the laughter of the strong, the whimpers of the weak. This was the place where hope began, only to glow dimmer and dimmer as time marched on. Yet, Akechi Goro never forgot – he never forgot about the children who kept believing. They had been the privileged among the envious, those who still had living parents and clung to the promise they would be taken back soon. Days, months, years would pass and they would still leap off their beds every morning, rushing to the window and try to catch a glimpse of the dear fathers and mothers that would finally honor their vow.  
  
But no surprise... they never did.  
  
Akechi Goro reached out and grabbed hold of the door handle, but couldn't bring himself to push it open. He was frozen in place, as though his body itself was reluctant to face the inevitable. The handle was cold, very cold – a sample of the permanent chill that dwelt on the other side of the door, a chill that not even the warmest seasons could mellow, a chill that he knew all too well. Behind that door was the birthplace of misery and craving, an ever-stretching road with no escape, no exit. They had all naively believed otherwise back then, and by the time they realized the finishing line which promised a long-desired warmth never really existed, they had already been facing a dead end. Even so, some children never stopped searching for a glow of warmth through the cold obscurity, but Akechi Goro couldn't say for sure... that any of them had ever found it.  
  
Grimly, the teenager shook his head and finally pushed one of the double doors open. Along with a long, ominous creak traveled the light of day, slowly pouring through the entrance and down the dark corridor that stretched out before his eyes toward inky-black nothingness. An unpleasant sensation of leaving a warm bath to jump into ice cold water overcame him as he took several hesitant steps forward. The door groaned shut behind him and with it disappeared the comforting rays of the sun, leaving the young man alone among barely scrutable darkness, like a dear friend abandoning someone in their time of need. The air was stagnant and oppressive, but the chill that had taken residence within those walls far exceeded the limits of the bearable. Goosebumps erupted all over his skin in reaction to the cold penetrating his clothes and seeping through every pore, freezing him to the point of physical pain. With immense sorrow, the teenager hugged himself feebly, but the shivering just wouldn't stop.  
  
"Look at me..."  
  
Akechi Goro jumped with a loud gasp, as though jerked awake by a bloodcurdling scream tearing the silence apart. Yet, it wasn't a scream that startled him so much – only a request that came out in hardly more than a pitiful meow. Ahead was a little boy curled up into a ball against the wall, half-hidden in the shadows. His face – already concealed beneath his neck-length brown hair – was buried in his arms, but the young man didn't need to see it to tell he was sobbing, not when the irregular shaking of his shoulders provided plenty of help already. Judging from his build, he didn't seem any older than six or seven years old. With as much precautions as one would take upon coming across a wounded animal, Akechi Goro approached the child – approached himself.  
  
"Look at me..."  
  
His demand was spoken in the tone of someone who had lost all hope long ago, yet couldn't bring themselves to stop pleading. He appeared to be entirely oblivious to the teenager's presence, no matter how unlikely that seemed. His tiny frame was noticeably quivering, falling prey to the freezing, biting air.  
  
Akechi Goro just stared, like he had entered a trance-like state. The sobs vibrating against his eardrums were ensnaring his mind, reducing him to little more than an unwilling spectator. In that moment, it seemed as though there was no longer only one child in the room. The first one kept crying in the darkness, waiting for words of comfort that wouldn't come, while the second one remained rooted to the spot, paralyzed by hesitation, intimidated to the point of helplessness.  
  
"Someone... please look at me..."  
  
A very loud whimper suddenly shook the crying child's entire body, turning the pang of pain constricting Akechi Goro's heart into the white-hot agony of a stabbing wound. His instinct took over right away, and the words were out of his parted lips before he could even think them.  
  
"I... am looking at you." he mumbled awkwardly, all too aware how pathetic this attempt at comfort was, but he couldn't think of anything else to add.  
  
The little boy's cries didn't subside. If anything, they intensified, matching the young man's mounting anguish.  
  
"Hey..." he murmured, driven by a sudden surge of courage as he approached the child and crouched beside him. He extended what he hoped was a comforting hand toward his tiny shoulder, but the contact never came. Disbelief laced with a sudden sense of unease trickled down his mind upon watching his fingers pass right through the little boy's shoulder, as though he was made not of bones or flesh, only mist. There was no reaction whatsoever on his part. Save for the irregular sob sending a quake across his shoulders, he remained entirely still, never looking up, and at long last, Akechi Goro understood. There was nothing he could do to help. A superior force had made sure of that.  
  
His heart heavy with resignation, the young man pulled his hand back and stepped away. Even through the obscurity, he could tell both sides of the long room were entirely naked, devoid of doors and windows alike. Far ahead however, at the very end of the hallway, stood a solitary door that he sensed more than he saw. There was nowhere else to go, no way to stray from the path that had been mapped out for him. He was meant to go through this door, and he knew it. Led by an inertia beyond his control, he began to walk toward the door with a stiff, robotic gait. The creaking of the floorboards under his feet echoed off the walls like they were some sort of unsettling amplifier. Seconds later, which felt strangely closer to hours, he was standing in front of the door. It had been left slightly ajar, as if to invite him to come in...  
  
The teenager furrowed his brow and shifted his focus from the door to the space above it. A metal plaque had been nailed to the wall. The words etched on it read "Trophy Room."  
  
Akechi Goro stayed still for a moment. He wasn't sure why, but a strange jolt of tension coursed through his body as his eyes fixed on the small engraving. He threw one last hesitant glance at the child and, before he had time to shy away, pushed the door open. The room beyond was plunged in semiobscurity, its details visible only thanks to the blue, cold light cast from several old-fashioned lamps fixed to the walls. His wariness nearly instantaneously vanished to give way to an overwhelming wave of amazement as hundreds of stuffed animals greeted him, occupying every last inch of the vast space like some sort of frozen menagerie. It was a trophy room alright. There had to be every single species known to man dwelling in there, and Akechi Goro found himself wandering across the room without even realizing it, his wonder steadily increasing with each creature his eyes fell on. Antelopes and zebras were grouped together, circling an elephant which, however imposing it was, looked considerably small next to the giraffe towering over it. A deer was standing proud with a doe by its side, displayed in a way that put most of the focus on its handsome antlers. Between a magnificent lynx and elk stood out a bear, its face stuck in a perpetual roar which sent a chill down the teenager's spine. And in the very middle of the room, a lion, jaguar and panther were exposing their deadly jaws at him, the glint in their eyes so bright, so lifelike, it felt as though they could pounce any moment...  
  
The thought had scarcely finished crossing his mind when he realized it wasn't just those three beasts – the eyes of all the creatures present eerily shone with the telltale glint of life in the half-darkness, and it wasn't long before a great sense of unease stole over Akechi Goro's former awe. That wasn't the strangest thing in the room, however. No, what rendered him absolutely speechless, what made him finally question the nature of this entire _world,_  was the huge butterfly displayed behind a glass window, its size so great it covered an entire side of the wall from the floor up to the high ceiling. Never did he feel so insignificant than in that very moment, standing there and gaping in captivation as his wide eyes reflected the sight. Its hauntingly beautiful wings – both about as large as 15-foot long curtains – were spread out, rigid and imposing, while some sort of giant needle piercing its thorax kept the whole creature pinned to the wall. The ethereal blue of its wings and the black veins running across them gave off the impression of paper-thin stained glass.  
  
It felt like it took Akechi Goro an eternity to break free from his contemplation. He stepped back a few paces, taking in the butterfly one last time before he reluctantly turned around, now facing the entirety of the trophy room again. Its vastness was overwhelming, and before the brown-haired boy knew it, he was already getting lost amidst the jungle of stuffed animals once more, all too aware of their chilling stares boring into him. He walked past a rearing horse, his curiosity piqued by a peacock nearby which had been displayed with its magnificent plumage fanned out, greatly overshadowing the pheasant, the hawk and even the eagle posing beside it. It was only when he extended a hesitant hand toward the peacock so as to feel its feathers that Akechi Goro noticed something most peculiar – even more peculiar than everything else so far, that is. Behind the row of birds was a large number of circular pedestals on the floor, made of lacquered wood and around two inches in height. Nothing was displayed on them, but they all sported a metal plaque gleaming in the blue light of the room. He approached one of the pedestals at random, only to freeze on the spot as his heart suddenly gave a huge bound. His eyes had fallen on the name "Isshiki Wakaba."  
  
For a moment, Akechi Goro couldn't do much more than merely stare. Unease crashed down onto him like a strong waterfall, washing away even the color from his face. An unpleasant sensation of sticky moisture trapped under his gloves traveled to his brain, and it took him longer than normal to realize his hands were drenched in sweat. Without thinking, he leapt forward, his eyes darting frantically from one plaque to the next, and with each name he saw came a stab of fear digging deep into his wild, hammering heart. "Okumura Kunikazu" was one of the names, while he identified two others as those of Shujin Academy's principal and the SIU director. Another one caught his eye, slightly less familiar, but he was almost certain this was the name of the guard he killed back then in the interrogation room. And right next to it, disregarding the teenager's silent pleas, was the name that he dreaded to see the most, the name whose sight alone felt like a thousand nails pounded into his heart. The plaque which read "Kurusu Akira" seemed to glint almost tauntingly at him.  
  
Akechi Goro squeezed his eyes shut, consumed by the powerful wave of sorrow the scene had jostled into existence again. He knew Kurusu Akira turned out to be safe and sound in the end, but the reminder of what he did to him was stinging all the same – and so did the rest. Shame had always been lurking in the back of his mind ever since the moment he finally opened his eyes, but seeing the names of all the people who died by his hand put together, witnessing an actual, visual representation of his body count, had pried the floodgates open – guilt and remorse, which used to leak into his soul drop by drop, were now pouring down on him like a heavy rain. It didn't help that there were many names he didn't recognize – the collateral victims of the people he turned berserk, he realized bitterly. But, as he felt his stomach suddenly contract, another realization dawned on him, one he liked even less. He had been grateful at first to be spared the ordeal of seeing the bodies themselves, but now that he thought about it, it was perhaps even more unsettling that they _weren't_ there...  
  
A great shiver ran down his entire body, and Akechi Goro cast a wary glance around as he hugged himself. It had to be his imagination, but he swore he could sense countless eyes observing him from the shadows. Not animal eyes – human ones. Yet, there was not a single trace of another human being in the room as far as he could tell. Dismissing it all as a mere figment of paranoia, he shook his head and pulled himself together. His pace swift, he made to retrace his steps toward the exit, only to stop dead the moment his watchful eyes fell on a door which he hadn't noticed before. It was a simple thing, plain to the point of hardly remarkable, facing him from the very end of the room behind the preserved bodies of a fox and a wolf. Akechi Goro's first reaction was to ignore it, but before he could even realize what he was doing, he was already weaving his way toward the door, as if inexorably dragged into a black hole. His features expressionless, he reached out and pushed the door open. The room beyond it was nowhere near in continuity with the trophy room. It seemed closer to a small dungeon, or at least to the idea the young man had of one. An L-shaped walkway made of large and cracked paving stones curved before him toward yet another door. Several spotlights embedded into the narrow path served as the only source of light, their white glow strikingly bright against the darkness. Bottomless pits stretched out on either side of the walkway toward smooth stone walls, upon which was mounted something that challenged the teenager's suspension of disbelief to its very limit. With a severity bearing a startling likeness to a human frown rather than an animal one, a mammoth – or rather its huge head – was glaring down at him from the corner of its eye, as though Akechi Goro's existence alone was revolting. A surge of anger flared up within his chest, and the words were out of his mouth before rationality could stop them.  
  
"Don't look at me like that." he spat scathingly. But the mammoth's frown remained.  
  
His temper rising to dangerously high levels, the teenager gave up and stomped off toward the end of the walkway where the next door awaited him. He threw one last, defiant glare at the mammoth, whose disapproving gaze had followed him and was now riveted on exactly where he stood. Too irritated to feel even a little bit astonished, Akechi Goro wrenched the door open and stepped into too tiny a room to be called as such – it was hardly bigger than a shower stall. One lamp fixed to the wall glowed the same eerie blue that illuminated the trophy room, though its light was so dim the young man had to squint to make out the outline of the sole piece of furniture occupying the otherwise empty space. It was a four-legged table, narrow and round-shaped, upon which sat yet another stuffed animal. A crow.  
  
Slowly, the young man approached the bird. Its feet had been nailed to a tiny pedestal, which occurred to him as odd – none of the animals he came across in the trophy room had been held in place, birds or otherwise. Furthermore, there was no lifelike glint twinkling in its eyes – only a dull, empty black. The light of the room was reflected in its shiny and soft-looking plumage, tinting its jet black body a faint hue of blue. Nothing about it, really, set it apart from any other crow. Yet, Akechi Goro had no doubts as to _who_  that crow was.  
  
"So this is where you went, huh..." he muttered, his voice the lowest it had ever been. "... Long time no see."  
  
The memory of sharing his melon bread with the bird, once distant, was now extremely vivid again. As his gaze fell, a powerful grip of sadness seized his heart, made all the tighter at the thought that he was too late. The one thing his impostor truly cherished was already gone. This aimless trip ended with this fact.  
  
Sorrow settling on his features, Akechi Goro picked up the bird and, before he knew what he was doing, held it gently against his chest. It was rigid like a statue, further solidifying the truth that alive though it used to be, it was now nothing but a mere object.  
  
... Yet, he couldn't bring himself to abandon it for some reason. In fact, the prospect of leaving it behind didn't occur to him for even a moment, although he was unable to explain why. It was as if taking it with him was the obvious thing to do all along, leaving no room for doubt whatsoever. Without thinking anymore, he made to put the bird inside the box his father gave him – only to freeze on the spot, hit by realization as he recalled never taking it back with him after his double departed. He had scarcely begun to chide himself for being so scatterbrained – given how fragile the bird seemed, he was rather reluctant to handle it too much – when he noticed his forgotten box, sitting in one corner of the room, and looking extremely out of place. His eyes narrowed in wariness, and he slowly crouched beside it with an equally cautious gait. Nothing about it seemed unusual. It really looked... like a regular, empty box.  
  
Still somewhat suspicious, he carefully set the bird inside the box, which was a perfect fit, put the lid back on, and stood up again. He paused for a moment, then clutched the box tighter and left the room, resolved not to meet the mammoth's gaze – except he did not find himself in the mammoth room at all. He was back in the long, dark hallway that separated the trophy room from the exit. That phenomenon, however, got no reaction whatsoever out of him. It could have, hadn't it been for the presence of a man sitting only a few feet away from him in a luxurious armchair and stealing his entire astonishment.  
  
Okumura Kunikazu seemed too engrossed in the book he was reading to bother looking up. He was sitting with one leg crossed over the other, directly facing the brown-haired boy, and propped against the side of his armchair stood a fancy-looking cane. Akechi Goro gaped at him, his brain scrambling to process what he was seeing. Then, Okumura spoke, and the teenager straightened up at once, his mind suddenly entirely clear.  
  
"And who might you be?" he asked in a sort of vaguely interested manner, although his eyes never once left his book.  
  
The brown-haired boy observed him for a moment. His initial shock had now completely eroded, leaving in its wake a frown that gave little away. "My name is Akechi Goro. I am the one who killed you."  
  
The words were out of his mouth before he had thought them. Even so, he wouldn't call it a slip-up. This confession had felt necessary somehow – a tiny display of spontaneous honesty that could, perhaps, make his victim understand he was ready to take responsibility for his actions, instead of lying his way out of the situation like a coward. But judging from the absolute contempt suddenly etched in every line of Okumura's face, he did not seem inclined to applaud the teenager's noble attempt.  
  
"... I see." he simply said, underlying hatred and disgust corrupting his cordial tone of voice. He had finally looked up, his piercing stare fixed onto his murderer. "You have quite the nerve, showing yourself to me after what you did... you filthy wretch."  
  
The final part wasn't uttered so much as spat. A faint flush of anger mingling with shame traveled to Akechi Goro's cheeks, and he bitterly averted his eyes.  
  
"I take it you were Shidou's hitman, yes?" Okumura continued as he absently turned the page of his book and resumed his reading, his scorn gone as fast as it came. "I figured they had to be particularly ruthless, given the number of people they disposed of for me, but to think they would turn out to be such a young person..."  
  
The teenager opened his mouth, only to close it again. He didn't know how to phrase what he wanted to say – or what to say at all, really.  
  
Okumura cast him a furtive glance, and then gave a long exhale. His eyes were once again riveted on his book, but Akechi Goro could see they were not moving anymore.  
  
"You seem just around my daughter's age, in fact." he muttered, both voice and face blank. "I do wonder... how she feels, now that I am gone."  
  
He had spoken more or less to himself, but the young man couldn't help chiming in. "... But you are alive."  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Okumura said rather coolly. Akechi Goro knew exactly what to say in response.  
  
"If you truly were gone... you wouldn't be here."  
  
"... That is true." the older man admitted after spending several seconds of silence pondering those words. His dark, suspicious gaze then rose to lock with the teenager's. "And how do you propose that is? How come I am here, breathing and talking, when I should have vanished long ago?"  
  
Akechi Goro didn't answer right away. He contemplated Okumura's inquisitive eyes, and carefully chose his words. "Because... I saw to that."  
  
"Hmph. You did, did you." the older man inquired in borderline offensive skepticism.   
  
"... Yes." the brown-haired boy replied, although a minuscule tinge of doubt still lingered somewhere in the back of his mind. There was no way he was going to admit that aloud, however.  
  
Okumura peered at him, but said nothing more. He merely resumed reading his book, which the teenager interpreted as an indication that this conversation was over. He hesitated a moment, then set off forward, his rather hurried gait betraying his desire to leave this place once and for all. He felt his heart tighten upon noticing the child was still there ahead, his posture exactly the same as before, although he found some comfort in realizing that his whimpers had stopped. Perhaps he had fallen asleep.  
  
"Ah, before I forget..."  
  
Akechi Goro stopped dead, his lips parting in surprise. The sight of the little boy had entirely driven Okumura out of his mind, to the point he hadn't noticed how close his steps had brought him to the older man.  
  
"Have you found the thing you were looking for? The thing most dear to you?" he asked, scrutinizing the teenager, until his sight fell on the box he was keeping close to his chest. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his next words came in a lower, thoughtful pitch. "Hmm, almost... Not quite, but perhaps..."  
  
The young man didn't catch the rest. Okumura had suddenly started mumbling to himself, his words too quiet to make out. Feeling rather uncomfortable, Akechi Goro skirted around him and scurried forward, only to freeze in his tracks once again at the sound of a female voice resonating across the entire hallway through some sort of public address system. He had heard that voice before, and with the recognition came a sense of unease which only amplified as he listened to the announcement itself.  
_  
"Attention. The trial is now about to begin. All those attending, you are invited to gather at the courtroom promptly."  
  
_ Akechi Goro looked up, his heartbeat suddenly a frantic drum.  
  
"The trial...?" he muttered to himself as a steady succession of footsteps echoed behind him. The announcement carried some kind of heavy foreboding which hung in the air long after the speaker fell silent, and Akechi Goro glanced warily at the ceiling. The footsteps stopped.  
  
"Well, hurry up." Okumura's voice said from behind the teenager's back. "We wouldn't want  _you_ to be late."  
  
"Wha–"  
  
Too late, he heard a sound very like that of a cane swinging through the air before a sudden and violent blow landed right above his left ear. Eyes wide with shock and utterly stunned, he collapsed to the floor, one single word trying without success to escape his lips even as his lids drooped further and further. _"Why?"_  
  
But deep down, as his consciousness dissolved away, as the last thing he sensed was Okumura's cold stare upon him, Akechi Goro felt... like he already knew.  
  
He couldn't be blamed for failing to notice, of course, but the older man's eyes were not the only ones boring into him. Cheeks devoid of tears, the little boy too intently observed his motionless body from afar, his expression undecipherable. But then, without warning, sunlight spilled far ahead from the exit into the hallway, and a figure appeared on the threshold. The daylight framing them into a dark silhouette made it difficult to tell their gender, although their stature suggested at least an adult. The child immediately shifted his sight toward them, which they responded to by waving at him, and the long-desired miracle finally happened. His big maroon eyes opened wide in exhilarating recognition, his lips split into a beaming smile, and within seconds, he was already scampering toward the figure. Once there, he gazed at them as if in wonder, then threw himself into their arms. The figure almost seemed to laugh, and embraced him back tenderly until he was the first to let go. Closing his tiny hand over theirs in a firm, secure grip, he turned to peer curiously at the inert teenager one last time, and gave him a smile that made his entire face look alight with happiness. His eyes forming two perfect crescents, he squeezed the figure's hand tighter still, and they crossed over the threshold to vanish forever into a point source of heavenly light.  
  
Akechi Goro never found out about this extraordinary happening. By the time his motionless frame began to stir, the child and the figure were long gone. The painful throbbing located above his left ear and intensifying with each passing minute was his first indication that he was slowly regaining consciousness. He stirred again, then numbly, laboriously pulled himself onto his knees using all his might, hissing in pain as he rubbed his head in a futile attempt at soothing the ache. With an awful effort, he finally opened his eyes to find himself nose to nose with a metal bar. Lots of them, in fact.  
  
For a moment, all he could do was stare blankly in incomprehension. He reached out tentatively, grazing one of the bars, while his mind and sight struggled to get rid of the blur clouding them. Then, so abruptly he couldn't help but gasp, his numb brain broke free from its torpor and overwhelmed him with waves of information that sent his heart racing. Akechi Goro's glazed eyes opened wide and he grabbed hold of the bars in both hands, shaking them desperately as a part of his mind distantly registered he was trapped not in a cell, but in a cage. The bars departed from a circle-shaped base to reunite together at the top into a dome, and they wouldn't budge. His breathing quickening with panic, he made to tear his mask off his face so as to call Robin Hood, only for his fingers to grope at empty air. His mask had been removed.  
  
"So, this is him, huh. The one who killed us..."  
  
A loud gasp accompanied Akechi Goro's start and he looked up to see a man suddenly crouched at his level outside the cage. He could tell it was a man only from his stature – where his head should be was merely a black shadow assuming its shape. His voice was familiar, but the brown-haired boy couldn't quite place it.  
  
"Hmph. Forgot about me, did you." the man spat as though he had just read his mind. "Can't even remember my face, huh? Killed so many people, can't keep track of them all, is it?"  
  
Akechi Goro scarcely had time to process the accusation. A hand suddenly shot between the bars and grabbed him by the hair, yanking him forward until his head connected with metal. Yelping in pain, he grabbed the man's wrist and desperately tried to make him let go, but to no avail.  
  
"Well, I will _never_ forget about you..." the man continued as he tightened his grip, hatred carved into every word. "About what you did to me..."  
  
The brown-haired boy gritted his teeth, consumed by fear but also another, rising force – anger. With a scream of half-pain, half-effort, he grasped the man's pinky finger and twisted it backward as hard as he could, resulting in a snapping sound and a howl of pain. Seizing his chance, he wrenched himself free from the slackened grip and recoiled toward the center of the cage, his entire body slick with sweat, his breathing erratic, but his eyes glaring in defiance. More than what just transpired, it was apparently this expression that earned him the man's scathing outrage.  
  
"Dammit, you little..." he hissed through heavy panting, clutching his injured finger with his free hand. "I swear I'm going to–"  
  
"That will be enough, I think."  
  
Akechi Goro felt his stomach contract. The sensation of relief that should have accompanied the intervention of that female voice never came to him – apprehension did. Unlike the man's voice, this one was familiar... too familiar. He recognized it instantly as the voice that echoed from the public address system. It was a voice he hadn't heard in over two years... and yet, its tone and pitch sounded exactly as he remembered them. Isshiki Wakaba crouched right in front of his cage, looking at him with mild interest. Beside her, the faceless man understood and got up, but not before his sight lingered on the teenager, who was certain that if he had any features, they would have been deformed in an expression of great loathing. The woman, for her part, merely kept observing him in silence. It took Akechi Goro a considerable effort to hold her gaze.  
  
"I remember those hands." she said absently at last, her sight flickering onto his gloved hands before locking with his eyes again. "They were shaking when you pointed your firearm at me. But I see you have come a long way since then... as a murderer."  
  
Her hatred was different from Okumura's or the faceless man's. It was subtle, almost delicate, but the brown-haired boy knew that behind this casual tone of voice and those unconcerned eyes was hidden something which transcended the limits of human revulsion. Akechi Goro swallowed.  
  
"I was your first, wasn't I? Your first hit." she inquired, sounding as though she was asking him about the weather. At the teenager's slow, silent nod, her expression hardened, albeit so slightly he thought he might have imagined it. However, she said nothing. Her inscrutable face made him extremely uncomfortable.  
  
At last, he could take no more. He lowered his eyes, only to dart them up right away again as he caught a glimpse of many faces upon him, each of them wearing an expression ranging from unfathomable to downright hateful. Some of these faces, however, were cast in a dark shadow just like the faceless man's, but Akechi Goro very clearly recognized, among others, the features of Shujin Academy's principal, Okumura, the guard from the interrogation room, the SIU director, and...  
  
"Joker..."  
  
The black-haired boy acknowledged him with a cheerful wave of the hand, and before he knew it, Akechi Goro was entranced once again, unable to wrench his captivated eyes away from him. They strayed from his long tailcoat to his blood red gloves and then to his mask, behind which twinkled a pair of smiling grey eyes. It felt like an entire lifetime had passed since he last truly saw them.  
  
"Well then... Akechi Goro, was it." Okumura snapped with an impatient jerk of the head. "I take it you know why you are here?"  
  
The words had the effect of a shout. The young man straightened up at once, yanked back to reality, and he immediately redirected his entire attention to Okumura. The initial shock of waking up caged and surrounded by his victims had now subsided, and finally, he was free to comprehend the absurdity of the situation to its full extent.  
  
"Um..." he mumbled, burning to disregard Okumura's question entirely and ask what the hell was going on instead – but his instinct suddenly kicked in, telling him it would be much wiser to pretend everything happening right now was making perfect sense.  
  
"Well? Do you?" Okumura prompted sharply, cutting his inner deliberation short. Akechi Goro hesitated a split second more before looking up.  
  
"... Yes. I do." he replied with a slight tremor, throwing a somewhat apprehensive look at the crowd observing him.  
  
"Do you swear to tell the truth, regardless of the consequences that may arise afterwards?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Are you ready to accept your punishment, should we judge your answers to be... unsatisfactory?"  
  
Okumura was holding his chin high in arrogance, silently waiting for the answer. Akechi Goro observed him back, and gave the merest of nods. "... Yes."  
  
"Good. I will get straight to the point then." the older man said curtly, his eyes narrowing as he leaned slightly closer. "Do you admit to taking the lives of everyone present around us, myself included?"  
  
The brown-haired boy blinked at him. Though he had been warned, Okumura's point-blank question still managed to take him very much aback.  
  
"Well, yes, but..." he stammered as he cast a glance at Joker – a motion that did not escape the older man.  
  
"His case is slightly different, but don't you go telling yourself this changes anything." he clarified right away in a display of insight. "It is true that unlike ours, you didn't actually take his life, but since you thought you did, even if for a short time... he does count as one of your victims."  
  
Akechi Goro had no rebuttal. However far-fetched this explanation sounded, he supposed it did make some sort of sense, and he quickly closed his mouth.  
  
"Let me repeat my question." Okumura grunted, his stare never once wavering. "Do you admit to taking the lives of everyone present around us, myself included?"  
  
"... Yes." the teenager answered, an uncomfortable kind of anticipation settling in the pit of his stomach.  
  
"But you were only following orders, weren't you?" Joker chimed in as the older man was about to speak again, and Akechi Goro felt his heart give a grateful jolt. "You were not the mastermind behind those murders. Somebody else wanted us dead."  
  
"Shidou..."  
  
The SIU director had spat the name like it was poison in his mouth. The brown-haired boy threw him a sideways glance, then turned back to Joker. "... That's right. I was... just the perpetrator."  
  
"Hmph. _Just_ the perpetrator." Shujin's principal echoed while rolling his eyes, putting a great emphasis on the "just." Beside him, several people exchanged smirks.  
  
Okumura – who had been busy shooting Joker a look of great disapproval which the black-haired boy thoroughly ignored – took a sharp breath and looked down at Akechi Goro again.  
  
"I will concede that you are not entirely to blame." he said stiffly, as though admitting it was costing him a terrible effort. "Shidou truly was despicable, having someone dispose of his targets left and right while keeping his own hands untainted."  
  
Akechi Goro had to fight the urge to retort that Okumura wasn't the most well-placed to say this when many of Shidou's requests, including assassinations, came from Okumura himself. Apparently, the look he gave him was eloquent enough anyway, for the older man quickly cleared his throat before continuing.  
  
"... However, the fact that you were obeying someone else's orders is irrelevant. Shidou might have ordered our assassinations in the first place, but that doesn't in any shape or form lessen the severity of your crimes."  
  
"That is true, but–" Akechi Goro tried to argue, only to get shut down nearly at once.  
  
"Therefore, I suggest that we proceed with the punishment at once." Okumura announced solemnly, earning several nods from the crowd. Joker, for his part, merely frowned.  
  
"What?!" the brown-haired boy barked in indignation while leaping to his feet, his fists clutching the bars. Okumura didn't look pleased.  
  
"What is it? You admitted to murdering us. I see no reason for you to continue arguing." he said coolly, a murmur of agreement rumbling in his wake.  
  
"But–"  
  
"And you already swore to accept your punishment if it came to that." the SIU director reminded in his gruff, haughty voice. "Don't tell me you are getting cold feet?"  
  
"Hmph. Took so many lives, but cowers in fear the second his own is threatened." the faceless man sneered, and Akechi Goro made a sound very like a threatening growl. "This is pathetic, really."  
  
"I couldn't care less about my own life!" the teenager shouted, his apprehension now entirely forgotten in favor of outrage. "What I am trying to say is–"  
  
"Stop trying to weasel out of this already." Shujin's principal cut off, disapproval written all over his features. "There's–"  
  
"I am not trying to weasel out of anything! I am just saying there is no need for this, for this stupid trial when you were never murdered in the first place!"  
  
The atmosphere in the room changed. Akechi Goro panted for air, his blood boiling harder still as he noticed the looks of incomprehension etched on each face. "Don't you get it?! The history in which I killed you is already gone! Your deaths were undone the moment Shidou was reformed!"  
  
The seconds that ensued bore one of the heaviest silences he had ever heard. Only now did he realize how fast his heart was racing. The cloud of doubt looming over his strong belief had now dissipated. He was absolutely and utterly certain his crimes had been erased, and he was intent on making the message clear.  
  
"And if you don't believe me, take a look at yourselves!" he went on, gesturing at them all through the bars. "The fact that you are standing there is all the proof you need!"  
  
Some people exchanged glances, then gingerly held out their hands and examined them. Some others kept staring at him, their expressions impenetrable. Feeling immensely drained all of a sudden, the teenager sank to his knees and remained there, his gaze now downcast.  
  
"He's got a point, you know." the voice of Joker rang out after what felt like an interminable silence. "If any of you truly were dead, you wouldn't be here to tell the tale. Because–"  
  
"Because the dead vanish." Okumura finished in a tone that was difficult to interpret. Sensing his eyes upon him, Akechi Goro reluctantly looked up and met his gaze. "That part about Shidou being reformed... It is related to what you told me earlier in the hallway, isn't it?"  
  
The teenager nodded, but said nothing.  
  
"Am I to conclude that we are indeed alive because you somehow stopped Shidou before he could be given the opportunity to order our assassinations?"  
  
"... Something like that, yes." Akechi Goro replied, hoping he wouldn't be pressed for details – he wasn't in much of a mood to talk all of a sudden.  
  
"Is that the truth, though?" somebody asked to the rest of the crowd. "Isn't he just trying to rub us the right way?"  
  
"I don't think so." the SIU director answered, though his frown still bore a hint of suspicion. "He... doesn't seem to be lying."  
  
A great deal of whispering ensued. Akechi Goro peered through the bars, anticipation gnawing at his stomach again.  
  
"But if he really undid our deaths somehow... this means he never truly killed us in the end, did he?"  
  
This final statement was the one which brought the silence back in. All heads turned in Akechi Goro's direction, and Okumura cleared his throat again.  
  
"... In light of those new pieces of information, I have to admit it is now trickier to determine whether you are guilty... or innocent. Essentially, I suppose you are both. Guilty back then, innocent now. The question now, is..."  
  
"Whether to stick to your grudge or let it go, right?"  
  
Joker looked and sounded entirely carefree. His casual behavior managed to ease the brown-haired boy a little in spite of the long silence going by as everyone pondered his words. The tension in the air was palpable, to the point it bordered into unnerving. Akechi Goro swallowed with difficulty, trying to make out something, anything from those unreadable faces.  
  
And then, just when he was about to succumb to the maw of fear consuming him from within... somebody spoke.  
  
"Is it true? Am I really going to see Futaba again?"  
  
Isshiki Wakaba's hands were intertwined together, as if in prayer. Her eyes looked unusually shiny. The muscles in the brown-haired boy's throat tightened into a knot, preventing him from speaking, but the nod he gave seemed to suit her just fine. For the first time, a smile split her face, and two tears rolled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Okumura's gaze was transfixed on her. He hid it better, but there was no doubt he was thinking about his daughter as well.  
  
"I will be honest, it is difficult not to despise you." he told the brown-haired boy at last, an almost imperceptible note of emotion ringing in his voice. "Our deaths might be a thing of the lost past, but the memory remains."  
  
Akechi Goro waited with bated breath. The older man contemplated him a moment before going on.  
  
"However, I have to question the fairness of our judgement if we are to allow personal feelings to dictate it. This trial was held in a desire to avenge our deaths, and seeing as they never came to be in the first place... I believe we have reached a conclusion."  
  
Okumura exchanged a look with the crowd. Many of them wore a stern expression, a window to the resentment carved into their hearts, leaving scars that would not fade anytime soon. Yet, nobody seemed to disagree with Okumura's words – not enough to raise an objection, that is. Perhaps they were simply content to finally get to live the days they had been deprived of. After several moments that felt like hours, a collective nod answered Okumura's silent question. Akechi Goro felt his heart flip.  
  
"Does that mean..." he muttered timidly as he looked up at Okumura, not daring to believe it.  
  
"Yes, I suppose so." the older man confirmed as he strode past the cage, and the teenager's body sagged in relief, entirely spent. "There is not much point in seeking revenge for a crime that was already erased from history, is there."  
  
With the final word, Okumura was gone. The rest of the crowd had vanished as well, leaving behind not forgiveness... but not outright hatred either. Akechi Goro's chest felt suddenly very tight.  
  
"You were brilliant, Akechi. I knew you could do it."  
  
Joker had stayed behind. His grin extended from ear to ear. The teenager didn't smile back.  
  
"It's kinda funny you had to spell out they were alive the whole time, though. I guess they were too blinded by–"  
  
"Shujin's principal was right." Akechi Goro cut off, his gaze fixed on his knees. "I was trying to weasel out of this."  
  
Joker's smile faded, giving way to confusion. "Huh?"  
  
The teenager didn't look up. The wave of relief washing over him had already ebbed away, leaving in its wake something sour, something bitter.  
  
"I escaped punishment by saying I never murdered them in the first place, but this isn't true. I made it look almost like they were wrong to want revenge on me, when they were entirely in the right to feel this way."  
  
Joker stayed silent, waiting for Akechi Goro to continue – which he did, unable to keep his burden to himself. "And by saying that, I tried to sweep what I did to them under the rug. I wanted to take responsibility for my actions... but in the end, I ran away from them like a coward. They shouldn't have let me off the hook so easily."  
  
"Why not?" Joker asked right away, prompting the teenager to finally look up at him with a mixture of wariness and annoyance.  
  
"I just told you, didn't I? I completely rejected–"  
  
"A responsibility that you no longer have." Joker finished nonchalantly. "And they understood that just fine. That's why the trial ended this way."  
  
"But–" the brown-haired boy mumbled, desperate to argue. The other would have none of it.  
  
"You are no longer a murderer, Akechi. In fact, you could say you never were." he reasoned, a hand under his chin. "Because the history in which you were a killer has been overwritten by an history in which you are not."  
  
"I know that!" Akechi Goro snapped, though he was more flustered than genuinely angry. "But still–"  
  
"If you do, then what's the matter?" Joker interrupted again as he leaned closer to the cage. "Why won't you acknowledge you made up for your crimes already?"  
  
"... I don't think I have made up for them at all." the teenager muttered, his tone close to a sulk.  
  
"Don't be stupid. Erasing people's deaths from history is just about the very definition of making up for killing them."  
  
Akechi Goro opened his mouth, only to close it again. At this, a triumphant grin showed on Joker's face, much to the brown-haired boy's annoyance. "Face it, Akechi. You have no more crimes to take responsibility for. The moment you changed history was the moment you got what you wanted the most."  
  
"What I wanted the most...?" the teenager repeated, his tone blank and his eyes vacant. By way of answer, Joker pointed at something behind Akechi Goro's back. Gingerly, he slowly peered over his shoulder, only to freeze on the spot. It was his second time seeing it happen, but there was no getting used to finding his colorful box laying only inches away from him, occupying what was previously and definitely an empty space. He stared in incomprehension, not so much because he had no idea how and when the box got there... but because it was shaking, and quite vigorously at that. Something was very clearly trapped inside, intent on being let out, and it wasted no time in flying off the moment the teenager lifted the lid, its black wings whipping his face in the process and prompting a yelp of surprise. Akechi Goro leapt to his feet and peered through the bars, following the crow's flight until it soared toward a window and into the sunlight. All that now remained in the box was the tiny pedestal which the bird had been nailed to.  
  
"Do you remember, Akechi? The thing you envied me for from the bottom of your heart?"  
  
Joker's voice had rang from behind his back. Akechi Goro slowly turned, maroon eyes meeting grey ones.  
  
"Well... Looks like you have nothing to be envious about anymore."  
  
The teenager's head drooped, and his bangs fell over his eyes, obscuring them. Joker couldn't know what kind of emotion they reflected, but the tiny smile appearing on Akechi Goro's lips definitely didn't get past him – nor did the small nod accompanying it. Joker's own eyes turned to crescents.  
  
"Come here." he encouraged gently as if speaking to a hesitant child, extending his hand through the bars. "Let's get you out."  
  
His gaze was kind and mellow. His outstretched hand never wavered. And once again, Akechi Goro succumbed to the magic spell. Even through their respective gloves, he could feel the comforting heat radiating from Joker's hand and warming his own. A powerful sense of rapture overcame his mind, and he stepped toward him, toward Kurusu Akira, the cage vanishing instantly the moment he walked through the bars. The black-haired boy's warmth remained even after he let go of his hand. He promised himself not to ever forget it.  
  
... Yes, he would not forget... He would never forget those gentle grey eyes and their saintlike kindness.  
  
"How about going somewhere else?" Joker suggested as he turned, and Akechi Goro nodded without a word. However, he didn't move just yet, prompting Joker to throw him a curious look over his shoulder which he didn't notice. He glanced all around him, and finally addressed the question that lingered in the back of his mind since the moment he came to.  
  
"Um, I was wondering... When the announcement about the trial was made, it said to gather at the courtroom, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess it did." Joker replied, evidently unsure what Akechi Goro was driving at.  
  
"But... aren't we in a cathedral?"  
  
The two rows of long pews lining the room, the sunlit stained glass windows, and the grand, high ceiling certainly seemed to suggest one, at least. The teenager was confused enough, but it was the look of incredulity crossing the black-haired boy's face that made him raise an eyebrow.  
  
"Huh?" Joker muttered as he swept his eyes across the room, until they stopped on the high windows from which sunlight descended in great streams. "This is how you see it?"  
  
Akechi Goro was taken aback.  
  
"What do you mean, this is how I see it?" he asked right away in bewilderment before looking back and forth, from the vast room to Joker again. "Do you see... something else?"  
  
"Just a regular courtroom." the black-haired boy replied with an unconcerned shrug, which was close to the least appropriate reaction Akechi Goro could think of given the circumstances. "Anyway, let's go!"  
  
"Huh?... Ah!"  
  
And before the brown-haired boy realized what he was doing, Joker was already gripping his hand again and leading him toward the center of the cathedral. He kept deviating from the aisle for no apparent reason – clearly, Joker saw obstacles that the young man couldn't – and the next moment, they crossed over this world to find themselves into another, completely different one.  
  
"Take a seat. I'll make you some coffee." Joker chirped to a very astounded Akechi Goro as he hurried behind the counter of the Leblanc coffee shop. It took the young man quite some time before he snapped out of his paralysis and complied, although his bewildered eyes kept darting everywhere around the room even as he took his usual seat at the counter. The black-haired boy looked up from the kettle at him, apparently intrigued. "What's wrong?"  
  
Akechi Goro jumped as if forced awake and locked his gaze with Joker's. He hesitated for the space of a heartbeat, and then gently shook his head. "... Nothing."  
  
Reassured, Joker returned his smile and retrieved a cup from beneath the counter while the brown-haired boy silently reveled in the calm, pleasant atmosphere of the shop. Soon enough, the strong aroma of freshly-brewed coffee wafted all around him. It was a familiar scent, one he truly cherished – and found he had terribly missed. But...  
  
"There you go." Joker said several minutes later as he presented him with the cup of coffee. "Your favorite blend."  
  
Akechi Goro muttered a word of thanks, but he didn't bring the cup to his lips. The dark liquid reflecting his face no longer showed a smile.  
  
Joker, meanwhile, was patiently waiting for him to take a sip, only to realize the teenager had no intent of doing so. His expectant smile faded and he made to ask what was wrong, when–  
  
"I will never understand you."  
  
Joker tilted his head to the side, as though he wasn't sure he had properly heard. Akechi Goro avoided his eyes, and continued. "I don't understand why you act like this. Why you act like I never did anything wrong to you."  
  
He knew what Joker was going to reply before he could even open his mouth. He would have none of it. "And don't say it is because I technically never did anything to you. That didn't stop the others from resenting me despite it all."  
  
The teenager closed his eyes. His chest suddenly felt burdened with a terrible pain that not even the warm coffee between his hands or Leblanc's soothing atmosphere could appease. "I don't care if history has changed. You should hate, despise and be disgusted by me. So why...?"  
  
"We've been over this already." Joker replied right away with a hint of nonchalance. Akechi Goro frowned, but the black-haired boy's next words were faster than his. "It wouldn't make sense to hate the friend who sacrificed himself to save me and the others."  
  
For a moment, it seemed as though time had slowed to a crawl. The teenager merely gaped, his retort still hanging on his lips. The words resonated again and again inside his head. He could hear them loud and clear, but their meaning was lost on him.  
  
"What... did you say...?"  
  
Joker didn't repeat, but answered all the same. With a renewed smile, he gestured at himself, and the young man's heart skipped several beats. In the turbulence of the past hour, he hadn't noticed it... but there, pinned on his collar, was very clearly the silver jewel that reflected both Akechi Goro's gratitude and remorse. The jewel that belonged to his mother. The jewel he cherished from the bottom of his heart... The jewel he had given to Kurusu Akira.  
  
"Does... Does that mean..." he stuttered, his voice sounding remote even to himself. "You remember...? You remember me giving this... to you...?"  
  
"Yeah." Joker answered, his smile widening as he skirted around the counter and took a seat beside him. "And everything before that, too."  
  
Several long seconds of silence went by. Akechi Goro's legs felt suddenly weak to the point that, hadn't he been sitting, he was certain they would have given out.  
  
"But... how?" he asked, his eyes wide like they had never been before. Joker merely shrugged.  
  
The teenager just stared. His brain felt like it was working in slow-motion.  
  
"So this is why you knew how much I was envious of you..." he realized mechanically, distantly wondering how come he didn't notice the oddity sooner. "Because..."  
  
"Because I remember you telling me that, yeah. Before we fought in the engine room."  
  
Joker lifted his mask and secured it on top of his head. His smile was once again kind even as the brown-haired boy averted his gaze, consumed by the shameful memory. It felt embarrassing, being reminded of his puerile behavior, but as his eyes stopped on the jewel pinned onto Joker's collar, Akechi Goro found... that he was glad Kurusu Akira remembered.  
  
He didn't know how much time they spent together after that. He couldn't even remember what they talked about. All he knew was that it was pointless small talk between two friends, punctuated with laughter and sometimes peaceful, brief silences. His heart felt warm with a sort of uncomplicated joy, a permanent glow starting from his serene smile as he enjoyed the fragrance of the coffee overwhelming his senses, enjoyed Leblanc's relaxing atmosphere... enjoyed the presence of Kurusu Akira.  
  
"H-Hey... This is, this is a dream, right?" he giggled breathlessly some time later, only now starting to recover a bit from the mutual fit of laughter that ensued after Joker told him a particularly funny story involving stuck restroom doors and a steaming Sakura Sojiro. "Waking up in that cage, meeting all those people again, spending time with you, and everything else... There is no way this is real, is there?"  
  
"Who knows." the black-haired boy replied evasively with the shadow of a smile, but Akechi Goro didn't mind how unhelpful his answer was. Deep down, he didn't truly care whether he was dreaming or not. If this really was a dream, he just didn't want to ever wake up...  
  
... But of course, he knew his moment of bliss would ineluctably come to an end. The way Leblanc started to flicker before his eyes, as if the lights were going out, told him as much.  
  
"Akechi? What's wrong?"  
  
Joker's tone was overflowing with concern. Akechi Goro briefly glanced at him before looking away once more. He wanted to hold onto this joy just a bit longer, turn a blind eye to the inevitable while pretending nothing was about to happen, try to focus entirely on this moment they shared together... but in the end, the smile he had intended to reassure him with never came to be.  
  
"This is goodbye, isn't it...?"  
  
For a fleeting instant, Joker's eyes grew wide with surprise, but they nearly immediately bounced back to a sad yet bright crescent-like shape. Akechi Goro didn't notice. He couldn't bring himself to look at him anymore. "I am not sure what is going to happen next, but I want you to know... how glad I am to have met you. I will never, ever forget about you... I promise."  
  
The scent of coffee pervaded the shop. The TV near the wall was broadcasting a muted weather report – the entire next week was to be sunny. Joker answered him with a wordless smile. They both remained there sitting side by side, silently enjoying their last moments together.  
  
"And, Akira..."  
  
Akechi Goro paused, his hands clutching his now empty yet still warm cup. He risked a glance at him, at the first and only person he had ever truly called a friend, and then continued, feeling encouraged by his gentle gaze. "Even if all of this is fake, I am grateful... that I could see you again."  
  
His words spoke of true earnestness. And with just as much sincerity, the black-haired boy simply said...  
  
"... I am grateful, too."  
  
Words were no longer necessary. Only the steady ticking of Leblanc's clock now pierced through the silence. Akechi Goro closed his eyes, finding comfort in the reassuring presence beside him. And when he opened them again... he realized that he was all alone.  
  
With that realization came... nothing. His eyes didn't widen at the sight of the endless darkness that had engulfed Leblanc. His lips didn't part in puzzlement as he noticed he could see himself just fine, wearing not his white attire but his school uniform instead. His stomach didn't give the jolt usually associated with recollection even when he realized he was on the floor, leaning against a hard surface, nor did any particular emotion came to him as he stood up and groped his way around, feeling solid yet invisible walls that formed the dead end of a corridor. His sluggish steps carried him without his notice along the only path available. A familiar point appeared ahead, growing bigger and bigger as he approached it. The door which he had stepped through back then to find himself in Shibuya stood before him, entirely visible against the darkness. Slowly, mechanically, he took a step forward, stretching out his hand, and felt his heart jump nearly out of his chest as a loud ringing suddenly blared from inside his pocket.  
  
The thumping of his heart audible even to himself, he slowly, tentatively reached in, producing Akira's cell phone. He paused on it for a moment, eyes narrowing and brows knitting together. It was only at the third ring that he broke free from his line of thought and focused. No name was displayed on the screen, though he had no need for one anyway – the number alone was more than enough to know who was calling him. His pulse starting to steady, he picked up the phone and brought it to his ear. Her greeting was simple.  
  
"Welcome back."  
  
Akechi Goro said nothing. Sophia's voice spoke again.  
  
"You might have already figured that out, but the change of heart was successful. Masayoshi has been reformed."  
  
"... That's good." he merely replied, his voice a flat monotone. Hers was much different.  
  
"Thanks to you, everything turned out just the way I hoped. There are no words to express how grateful I am."  
  
The first emotion those words instilled within his mind was a mixture of sheepishness and resentment. Her gratitude seemed sincere, but the way she sounded so manipulative only twisted the knife in the wound he had her to blame for.  
  
"... Are you finally going to stop keeping me in the dark then?" he grunted while leaning against the invisible wall and letting his body slide onto the floor, his forgotten bitterness now abound in every syllable. "Are you going to tell me why you lied to me since the beginning about... everything?"  
  
"Yes, I think I will." she replied right away, her absolute lack of hesitation taking him entirely by surprise. "This is the least I can do, given how much you did for me."  
  
And just like that, Akechi Goro's resentment drained away – his eagerness to finally uncover the entire truth was simply stronger than his determination to remain angry at her. Clearly, the way his heart leapt in excitement didn't escape Sophia's omniscience, for she let out a quiet giggle.  
  
"I'm sorry. I really kept you waiting, didn't I?" she apologized, with the same hint of inexplicable fondness he had heard from her before. "But wouldn't you prefer we speak face to face?"  
  
Once again, the teenager felt his heart flip.  
  
"Really?" he mumbled, his pulse quickening by the minute.  
  
"Yes. I think it is about time we meet. Properly, that is."  
  
"... Properly?"  
  
For a split second, Akechi Goro was certain he misheard. He gaped in the dark at no one, his brain fumbling to take in the enormity of the implication – and teetering dangerously on the edge of overheating in the process – until he felt something click. Sensing the incoming outburst, Sophia tried to speak, but it was too late.   
  
"W-Wait a minute!" he exploded, gripping the phone hard in both hands. "Why are you acting like we have already met?!"  
  
She hesitated a moment. The brown-haired boy was about to insist, when–  
  
"We have..."  
  
Akechi Goro's jaw hung open. The sudden frenzy possessing him was as intense as it was short-lived. It left in its stead only bewilderment. "But... when did we–"  
  
"Don't worry. I'll answer that, too."  
  
Just as she fell silent, he heard the sound of a door unlocking. Akechi Goro looked up at it, the sound of his heartbeat pounding against his eardrums. The door was looking perfectly normal. Still, there was something almost enthralling about it, an ominous yet exciting vibe unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was a strange sensation, one in which he couldn't tell where apprehension ended and curiosity began.  
  
Anticipation bled from his heart into the pit of his stomach as he climbed to his feet. His captivation was such that he was temporarily rooted to the spot, unable to do much more than stare. A bright sliver of light shone through the gap between floor and door, casting a faint glow all around the frame. As he edged closer, a tiny part of him, the part that lay in the very recesses of his mind, knew this door was the final one. It wasn't just a mere door – it was an exit. The exit he had pursued for many years. The exit that was finally within his reach. The exit that would free him from the darkness, or so he hoped.  
  
But first of all, it was the wall behind which Sophia was waiting for him. Akechi Goro paused the space of an instant, and opened the door.


	23. Case 21 - WOMAN

Science says it takes around five minutes for the human eye to fully adjust from darkness to light.  
  
Of course, for most people, those five minutes usually feel closer to seconds. It is a process so simple, they think nothing of it.  
  
But for the people who have spent their entire lives in total darkness... those supposedly seconds of adaptation to their first glimpse of light can feel painstakingly closer to the five minutes they are supposed to be.  
  
For a moment, Akechi Goro could see nothing, blinded by the sudden bright light assaulting his sensitive, unaccustomed eyes. Even as he squeezed them shut and shielded them with his arm, a vivid flash seemed to float before him, branding itself into his sight, overcoming the obscurity swallowing all. It did eventually subdue, however, and the scenery he saw through squinting eyes progressively took on the look of a beautiful sunlit meadow. It was a flat land with seemingly no end, only lush green grass stretching toward the all-around horizon where an opalescent blue began. Tiny daisies and a few wisps of clouds specked the earth and sky alike, swaying and drifting in the pleasant midsummer breeze accompanying the warm day. But gorgeous though this landscape was, invigorating though each intake of air felt, there was no time for awe – only confusion.  
  
"... Where are you?" the teenager inquired Sophia via Akira's phone as he surveyed his surroundings to no avail, barely noticing that the door separating the meadow from the dark corridor had vanished.  
  
"Ah... I'm sorry. It seems I misjudged where exactly the exit would lead you..." she replied in an apologetic tone of voice laced with a hint of bashfulness. "Stay where you are. I'm on my way."  
  
Saying Akechi Goro was frustrated would be putting it mildly. Sophia could have been waving a meaty bone to a starving dog only to pull it away at the last second and the result would have been the same.  
  
And yet, this frustration was little next to the renewed surge of anticipation his frantic heart sent pumping through his veins as her final words lingered inside his head – wherever she was, Sophia was coming.  
  
"Of course, we can talk while you wait for me." she compromised, and the teenager perked up a little bit. "You've been left in the dark long enough as it is."  
  
"Yeah... because of you." he couldn't help but mutter, his tone very like that of a sulky child, though Sophia didn't seem to take offense. When she responded, he thought he could hear the smile in her voice – a sad one.  
  
"... Forgive me. I know how frustrated you must have felt." she apologized, before her soothing tone changed into a solemn, grave one. "And yet, despite resenting me after I deceived you for so long, you still chose to trust me in the end. You went back in time and reformed Masayoshi just like I hoped, even though you were afraid of the consequences that would ensue. You've been... extremely brave."  
  
Akechi Goro felt his cheeks turn scarlet. It was only with some effort that he managed not to sound too flustered as he replied. "... Reforming him was the only way to change my future for good. I only did it to save myself."  
  
"That's good to hear." she replied in a conversational tone. "It would have been an issue if you hadn't felt that way."  
  
The young man's eyes widened. Very slowly, the gears within his mind began to turn.  
  
"... What do you mean?" he asked stiffly at last, though his question was met with only silence. The teenager waited, until–  
  
"What do you think would have happened if I never contacted you after you came back from your father's Palace the first time? What would you have done once you returned to your apartment?"  
  
Akechi Goro was caught entirely off-guard.  
Instinctively, he opened his mouth, only to close it again. His stomach tightened.  
  
"You felt confused, lost, but most of all, you were tired." she continued, her speech now unfathomable. "Tired of it all."  
  
Yes, the teenager remembered. The events that transpired within the engine room left a scar he wouldn't forget anytime soon. This feeling of emptiness, this feeling of being mindbroken, this feeling of not caring anymore, this feeling that _nothing mattered anymore,_ this feeling that in the end, he might as well...  
  
Akechi Goro's head drooped onto his chest.  
  
"No matter what, I couldn't let this outcome happen. This is why... I gave you an incentive."  
  
A heavy silence settled around. The teenager remained entirely still, his eyes obscured behind his bangs. Then, very slowly, he looked up again. "Do you mean..."  
  
"That's right. I am talking about the Phantom Thieves."  
  
From somewhere far away, a bird had started singing. The young man didn't notice, his attention fully focused on her words. "You had the means to travel in time. You were aware the world around you was really a Palace. All that was left to do... was giving you a little push."  
  
Sophia paused, taking the time to carefully choose her words. "I knew about your feelings back then. I knew you would feel the need to _do something,_ anything, if the thieves were concerned. And I... took advantage of that."  
  
At this, a twinge of pain pricked Akechi Goro's heart.  
  
"You really wanted me to go along with your plan, didn't you..." he muttered, unable to suppress the hurt note in his remark despite his best efforts.  
  
"I did. This is why I told you they were the cause for the creation of the giant Palace, and that only you could undo their actions... because this was the most efficient way to earn your cooperation."  
  
"... Even though you were behind its creation all along..." the teenager couldn't help but point out, a small spark of anger kindling somewhere inside a distant part of his mind.  
  
"That's right... I was."  
  
Sophia's voice was calm and dignified, devoid of malice. She elaborated promptly. "The circumstances of the Palace's existence, the Phantom Thieves' supposed involvement... Everything was done to give you a sense of purpose. This way, my interest... would become yours as well."  
  
"Using the application as many times as possible..." the young man recalled, more to himself than to her, until a flash of realization crossed his mind, swift like lightning. He tightened his grip around Akira's phone, a mixture of disbelief and astonishment stealing over his features. "Wait, are you saying..."  
  
"Yes. The reason I created the giant Palace was solely because of you."  
  
Akechi Goro knew this was coming. And yet, having it spelled out for him felt like a whiplash all the same.  
  
"This means that the Phantom Thieves, and everybody else..." he uttered blankly, his voice reaching his own ears as though from a mile away. "They all got trapped in the Palace... because of me...?"  
  
"As part of your incentive, yes. And also because, as I told you, the Another Time Navi can work only within a Palace."  
  
The teenager was unable to think of something to say in response. The curious thought that something didn't add up flickered faintly within the foggy recesses of his mind, soliciting his attention to the point that he nearly didn't catch Sophia's next words. "And once you were given the purpose of undoing it for the sake of your friends, you started using the Another Time Navi right away. My plan had worked."  
  
Sophia paused, as if expecting him to speak up. But he didn't.  
  
"Of course, it would have been much faster to send you back in time myself so that you could deal with Masayoshi right away," she went on, "but as you may recall–"  
  
"Yeah... The strain of using that method without getting used to traveling in time first would have killed me." the young man recited mechanically.  
  
"Indeed. I made the Another Time Navi specifically to get around this problem." she explained, and what should have come off as a revelation actually didn't catch him off-guard in the slightest – only Sophia could have been behind something as extraordinary as the ATN, now that he gave it some thought. "But while I created it myself, some of its mechanics... are still a secret even to me."  
  
Again, Akechi Goro didn't know how to respond. Sophia continued.  
  
"At any rate, while quite unpractical, the Another Time Navi did manage to help you build a bit of resistance to the strain of traveling in time like I had hoped. Though this entire step could have been skipped if the application wasn't so limited in the first place..."  
  
"... Limited as in, being unable to send me further back in time than the day I got Loki, right?" he asked, forcing himself not to get distracted by the sea of thoughts swimming through his mind.  
   
"Yes... Among other things." she confirmed somewhat wearily. The teenager gave himself some time to think before parting his lips, but she beat him to the punch before he could get out even a single word. "It was extremely difficult to transfer my power into a medium that you could use for yourself. In the end, all I could manage was a watered down version, infused with only a fraction of my own power, that couldn't directly achieve what I wanted... but could at least help toward it."  
  
The soft exhale she let out sent a ripple across the composure Akechi Goro had been used to. It felt almost strange to hear her sound so dejected, like she wasn't some sort of superior, perfect being – only a normal human. "This is why it was all so tedious. I wanted to send you more than ten years back, but you would have died under the strain. I created a safe method of travel in return, but not only it wouldn't let you choose where to go back, it also couldn't send you far enough in the past. Well, ideally, it should have... hadn't it been for that restriction about functioning only inside a Palace."  
  
"... But hold on." the teenager said at last, finally grasping exactly what had been nagging at his mind for the past minutes. "That rule isn't actually the truth, is it?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Sophia asked right away, and her audible surprise left him completely confused as well.  
  
"Well, if it was... then what about all those times when the ATN brought me back before the Palace first appeared?" he argued somewhat defensively, a bit taken aback. "Finding myself back to that sushi restaurant, returning to that journalist's Palace, even reliving the day when I moved to Tokyo... There is no way any of this would have been possible if the application could work only as long as the Palace was active. It wouldn't have been able to send me back to the present otherwise."  
  
Akechi Goro's frown deepened the further his line of thought brought him. All of this was just like a giant puzzle – where none of the pieces fit together. "Besides, you said yourself that the earliest time I could travel to with the ATN was the day I got Loki. So how could that be possible when the Palace supposedly appeared in April 2016? It doesn't make any–"  
  
"Because the Palace didn't appear in April 2016. It appeared in 2014."  
  
The teenager went stock-still. The end of his sentence was struggling to leave his gaping mouth, but only stunned silence came out in the end.  
  
"It is only natural that you would be confused. You were so hung up on the Phantom Thieves being responsible for the creation of the Palace, it made perfect sense for it to have appeared in April 2016 at the earliest. And even after finding out that I was the one involved in the Palace's existence rather than the thieves, you had no reason to suspect it could have been created at _a different time_ from what you had assumed all along..."  
  
For a moment, it seemed as though all sound had ceased. Akechi Goro heard her loud and clear. He heard, but that was it.  
  
"I know it will probably mean nothing to you at this point, but... I am truly sorry." she continued, and sure enough, the genuine remorse in her voice did nothing to improve his mood. "I had to have you believe this assumption to the very end, or else you would have seen through my lie right away. My lie about the Phantom Thieves being the ones responsible for the Palace's existence, I mean."  
  
"... How so?" he asked, again feeling like the voice speaking wasn't his own.  
  
"Well, if you had found out the Palace was already in place before April 2016, you would have connected the dots right away. You would have realized the thieves were not the cause of the Palace's existence after all, you would have understood I lied to you, and you would have most likely confronted me about it. But most of all, I would have lost your trust... and I couldn't afford that."  
  
Sophia's tone hadn't changed. She gave a brief sigh, and went on. "And so, to counter that possible outcome... I told you the application could send you to the day you awakened to your power at the earliest precisely because you were a Persona user, as if it was a natural starting point. This way, you would hopefully not question the odd inconsistency in my explanations, at least not at first. And to be entirely honest, I... was also counting on you having too much on your plate already to notice."  
  
A brief silence went by. Akechi Goro just stood, unmoving, unsure what to think or feel. The tension radiating off his body was palpable. "There was one potential issue about this, though, which I must admit was both the most troubling and unpredictable one. The thing is... if you had summoned your Persona during a time when you supposedly couldn't have, I would have been found out right away. All I could do was rely on luck, hoping you wouldn't think of trying it... and thankfully for me, you didn't."  
  
Quite some time passed before his mind took it all in. Even when it did, he had difficulty believing it. "So... does that mean it's true...? The world was really already a Palace since the moment I received Loki...?"  
  
"Yes, that's right. This brings us back to the initial problem I had with the Another Time Navi." she replied as the sound of grass crunching under the weight of footsteps rang out distantly at the end of the line. "Like I said earlier, the application was supposed to let you travel far enough in the past, as long as a Palace was active at the time of destination... but I couldn't maintain one for such a long period of time. Keeping it active for almost three years was unfortunately the best I could do."  
  
Once again, she sounded rather dispirited, like she was disappointed with herself. She didn't take long to regain her composure, however. "... And there you have it. From early May 2014, the day you awakened to your Persona, to late March 2017, the day you returned from the other world... This was the time period that the application covered. That the Palace covered."  
  
"March 2017..."

Akechi Goro spoke barely over a whisper.  
He had no idea what to make of Sophia's explanations. No idea how to react, no idea what to say. Hundreds of questions swirled inside his head, too fast and jumbled together to make sense of.  
  
"I infiltrated Shidou's Palace on November 2016... so why did I return to Tokyo in March of the next year...? Just... Just what happened to me during those four months? You know, don't you?"  
  
It was only after what felt like forever that he finally reached out toward the very same question he had asked a long time ago. Back then, Sophia had given him no answer. Today, she would, and he knew it.  
  
"... Yes, I do. You were in a very bad shape when I brought you outside your father's Palace. You wouldn't come to." she explained, and sensing what he was about to say, clarified promptly. "Still, you weren't comatose... just unconscious, like in a deep sleep."  
  
"In a deep sleep...?" he repeated in sheer incredulity. "I was sleeping for _four months...?"_  
  
"You were. Then again, after what you had just gone through, it isn't that surprising. You were exhausted, both physically and mentally." she replied, and there was a note of a new emotion in her speech, something akin to pity. "I took care of you then. Your injuries were healing steadily. You were getting more responsive as time went by. And at last, when you began to stir, I brought you to the exit of this world, knowing you were about to wake up. It was also at that moment that I put the power I had created into your cell phone... a power that came in the form of the Another Time Navi."  
  
Akechi Goro was feeling light-headed. His mind couldn't keep up anymore. Still, something stood out – a trivial point for most, but an invaluable one for those who desperately needed it. "You... took care of me...? This entire time...?"  
  
His heart tightened. He looked down at the ground, strands of hair falling over his eyes. "... Why?"  
  
And like a spell was just broken, his mind began to move again. Sparks of desperation flared up within his core, coursing through every last nerve.  
  
"Why?!" he exploded, his head swiftly snapping up. "Why would you go to such lengths to help me?! Saving me from Shidou's Palace, giving me the chance to, to start my entire life over, trapping the world in a giant Palace just for my sake... This is just insane! I am a complete stranger to you!"  
  
"No, you're not. I have known you for a very long time."  
  
Akechi Goro could have been slapped open-palmed across the face and the result would have been the same. He froze on the spot, utterly stunned. "Wh-What...?"  
  
"Your past, your present, your future... There is nothing I don't know about you." she said gravely. "Because I saw it all happen before my eyes... from your childhood to the present time."  
  
As their conversation went on, the soft breeze ebbed and flowed away, imbued with the smell of lush green grass. The day was getting warmer.  
  
"You had just turned four years old when I started observing your life. I was worried about you, very worried... You had just been left all alone in the world, with nowhere to go, nobody to rely on. I had no idea what was going to happen to you from that point onward, and I was anxious to find out."  
  
The teenager parted his lips. His eyes were blank, and his voice slow, mechanical. "And so, you... watched over me...?"  
  
Sophia breathed out, quite audibly. It was a bitter sound, speaking louder than words. "I wish I could say that. But watching over someone means actively keeping them safe from harm... and I couldn't. I was entirely powerless... unable to do anything but remain passive. I suppose it would have been fine if someone took you in and genuinely cared for you... but that day never came."  
  
She interrupted herself a moment. Just recounting that memory seemed to cause her physical pain.  
  
"Still, I refused to lose hope... I kept telling myself that you would find happiness one day. Even after being passed from institution to institution. Even after being denied affection and love. Even after being treated cruelly by those who were supposed to protect you, those who were supposed to save you. But it was painful... very much so. I was horrified by the things I saw."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes fell. The wounds those fragments of his past left upon his soul never truly healed, but they now felt burning and vivid again, as though icy fingers were digging them raw.  
  
"And yet, despite it all... I kept believing." she continued in a whisper. "But then, this tiny hope I had... was nearly torn to shreds."  
  
"... Why?" he asked blankly.  
  
"... You found out about it. About the other world."  
  
Something inside of Akechi Goro stirred into consciousness. He slowly looked up, his entire being fully alert.  
  
"Its existence is supposed to be kept a secret. Nobody should ever introduce it to a normal human being, let alone a teenager. Tampering with people's hearts, submitting them to one's own will, having their lives at one's mercy... The possibilities this world offers are frightening enough, but the most fearsome thing about it... is how easily it can corrupt people. Especially those whose circumstances left them at their most vulnerable."  
  
An uncomfortable silence dragged by. Although unsure what to say, the teenager made to speak, but–  
  
"And this is exactly what he was counting on... He perfectly knew what he was doing..." she added, her voice much lower than usual. "He knew about the circumstances surrounding you, about your weaknesses and deepest desires... He knew how to take advantage of those, and turn you into his unwitting pawn..."  
  
The young man was rooted to the spot.  
  
Not because those long years spent wondering about the truth behind his powers were about to come to an end. Not because yet another person had, apparently, used him as their own puppet. Not because Sophia knew all about it in the first place.  
  
What took him entirely by surprise was how _angry_ she was sounding. No, more than that – her words were rumbling with a kind of fury he had never heard from her before, the kind that sent a chill down his spine. Akechi Goro swallowed.  
  
"I knew this wouldn't end well." she continued, snapping him to attention once more. "You were consumed by hatred, by a thirst for revenge... Whether you won or lost against your father, you had already been broken enough as it was. All I could do was cling to the little hope I had left, the hope that someone would reach out a helping hand to you. I cannot fathom how relieved I was when your friends offered you to join them back."  
  
The young man was at a loss. He really wanted to steer Sophia back to the previous topic – partly because he was craving for details, but also because _that_ topic she was now bringing up was still quite a sensitive one for him – but, while her voice had returned to normal, he was still too intimidated to follow through. Was Sophia, usually so collected, usually so serene, really capable of losing her cool like this...?  
  
"I was so happy then. You had finally found a place where you belonged." she was saying tenderly meanwhile, jolting him out of his thoughts. "You were feeling humiliated, none of your problems had been solved, you were afraid of what would happen to you afterwards... but at least, you weren't alone. This was more than I could have asked for."

A layer of heat traveled to Akechi Goro's face. It had happened several times now, but he felt like he would never be able to stop getting flustered each time she expressed concern for him.

"And then, just when I was telling myself that at last, things were looking up... it happened." she went on, her tone suddenly very slow, like speaking was costing her an effort. "The thing I was dreading the most since the moment you approached your father... just happened."  
  
The young man raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Huh? Are you talking about how Shidou tried to have me killed?" he asked while tilting his head to the side. "It was only luck, but I did manage to make it in the end, so–"  
  
"You don't understand." she cut off, a note of desperation in her voice. "Your father didn't just try. You _were_ killed... You died, by the hand of your double."  
  
The words came hard and fast, like a whiplash. The first thing Akechi Goro thought upon hearing them was that he had misheard. His brain seemed to alternate between working at supersonic speed and struggling not to shut down.  
  
"Wh-What the hell are you talking about...?" he stuttered, dumbfounded like he had never been before. "This... isn't funny at all..."  
  
"It isn't meant to be. Don't you remember? That sensation of seeing yourself die?" she insisted, and the teenager felt his blood run cold. "This wasn't just your imagination... It was really–"  
  
"Stop messing around! There's, there's no way this was real!" he cried out, all of a sudden fueled by newfound frenzy that swept away all traces of his daze. "There's no way... There just isn't..."  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't breathing hard so much as panting for air, like he had just run for his life. His frantic heartbeat suggested the same. "And besides, if that was really true, then how the hell do you explain that I'm here?! How come I'm–"  
  
"... Because I went back. I returned thirteen years in your past... so that you could relive them again."  
  
Time froze. The entire meadow seemed to fall silent. Everything was entirely still, from the drifting wisps of clouds to the swaying grass.  
  
"Y-You... You went back...? You went back so that... my fate would change...?"  
  
He couldn't help but echo her. This was the only way he found to try and comprehend what exactly he was hearing, like saying it himself would accelerate the process.  
  
"Yes. That's exactly why." she confirmed without delay, clearly relieved that he was no longer adamantly rejecting the truth – though he didn't feel ready to accept it just yet either. She was essentially asking him to believe the unbelievable, which wasn't exactly the easiest thing one's mind could wrap itself around.

But then again... Sophia had no reason to lie, not anymore...  
  
"So this means... that I went through those past thirteen years twice...?" he asked after a very long silence, though a part of him was still hoping she would dismiss it all as a joke. Of course, she didn't. That was to be expected, really. And yet, her response still caught him entirely off-guard.  
  
"Well..."  
  
The teenager blinked, not comprehending. Why was she hesitating all of a sudden...?  
  
"What now?" he pressed, his features creasing into a frown of wariness. Sophia sighed, as if to give him time to prepare – except not even an entire lifetime would have been enough to prepare him for what he just heard. Her answer felt like a tidal wave crashing onto him, sweeping all.  
  
"Not twice... Much more than that. It must have been at least a dozen of times... No, probably more."  
  
_... Huh?_  
  
"What the... What's that supposed to..." he quavered, stumbling over his words.  
  
"No matter how many times I went back... your fate refused to change. You always, always led the exact same lives as the first one, all of which ended in your death... until that one life didn't, because something new occurred. When you shoved your double... this is when your fate changed. A single, seemingly insignificant decision that saved your life."  
  
Akechi Goro stood in silence, her words resonating inside his head. His heart tightened, and his question came accompanied with a stammer. "... And so you waited all this time...? Just for my sake...?"  
  
Sophia remained silent. More than tight, his heart now felt painful. "But... But something isn't right..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Since you were resetting time again and again with the hope that my death would be averted... Why did you rewind to thirteen years back, rather than the last minutes of my life each time? You wouldn't have waited that long then..."  
  
Even as he asked, Akechi Goro couldn't help but find it extremely intriguing. It just didn't make sense – why did she purposefully subject herself to dozens, no, hundreds of years spent waiting when there was a much faster, more convenient solution right under her eyes?  
  
"That's because... I thought that maybe, you could have led a happier life earlier." she answered somewhat hesitantly. "Maybe your fate would have changed for the better when you were still a child. Maybe you would have been taken in by a loving family. Maybe you would never have found out about your father, and as such wouldn't have spiraled into those dangerous years... These kinds of things."  
  
The young man didn't respond. He waited for her to keep going.  
  
"This way, you wouldn't have needed my help... You would have grown living a normal life like everyone else, which meant no crimes to erase, no future to avert... Approaching you, giving you the Another Time Navi, would have been unnecessary in that case. But, to be fair..."  
  
She interrupted herself suddenly, as if ashamed to say more. Still, he didn't need to press her on – she knew she owed him her entire honesty. "I... I was secretly hoping it wouldn't come to that. This was just to give me good conscience. Deep down, I _didn't_ want your fate to change until your very last moments... Because otherwise, I..."  
  
Her voice was heavy with emotion, the kind that was almost painful to hear.  
  
"I would have missed my chance... My chance at my own redemption..."  
  
Akechi Goro heard, but didn't understand.  
  
"And it is all thanks to you that I could get this chance. You did so much for me, more than I ever did for you..." she added, speaking barely above a murmur. "Because you didn't just save yourself... You saved _me,_ as well..."  
  
The teenager parted his lips. He stood there, entirely motionless, a strange sensation stirring in his stomach.  
  
"And now... I can finally begin to atone. I can finally assume the responsibility that I fled from once."  
  
The sensation in his stomach intensified. His breathing became faster, louder.  
  
"Right?... Goro?"  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes opened wide. In a split second, he had already spun around – and then felt his body seize up.  
  
A woman stood, several feet away from him, cell phone in the hand, tender smile on her face. He gaped at her, physically unable to tear his transfixed eyes away. A soft thud rang out, coming from the impact of Akira's phone hitting the grass. Akechi Goro wasn't even aware that he dropped it. He contemplated her in silence for what felt like an eternity, until one single word sprang to his lips unbidden.  
  
"Mother...?"  
  
Sophia's smile widened. Her eyes resembled two bright, large crescents. He stared back in utter disbelief, the picture reflected in his own eyes penetrating with difficulty through the numb layers of his mind.  
  
"N-No way... This, this e-entire time, it was... _you...?"  
  
_ Even as he said it, he wouldn't believe.  
  
"Forgive me, Goro." she pleaded, her smile turning doleful. "This was yet another truth I hid from you."  
  
Akechi Goro was speechless.  
He didn't comprehend. He _couldn't_ comprehend.  
  
"B-But... How...?" he stuttered, feeling light-headed. "How come you're... Wh-Why are you..."  
  
"I'll start from the beginning." she interrupted gently. She made some sort of odd movement then, like she was torn between approaching him or staying where she was – perhaps not knowing how the gesture would be received made her hesitate. In the end, she kept her distance. "But first, I have to make a confession."  
  
The young man straightened up. Sophia's smile was gone, vanishing as her head drooped onto her chest. And then... her eyes locked with his again.  
  
"While I tried to raise you the best I could, I... I always placed Masayoshi above you. There was nobody I loved more in the world than him. He was the only one I was thinking of when I... was leaving."  
  
Akechi Goro's head shot up in shock, and he couldn't help but recoil, as if she had suddenly raised her hand on him. His hurt expression turned her sorrow into heartache, but she managed to keep her voice strong. "But once I passed away, I immediately realized... I realized that I had just committed the unforgivable. I had selfishly left my very own son behind, just a defenseless little boy, leaving him no choice but to fend for himself in a society where illegitimate children and orphans alike are considered a disgrace. The pain I felt when Masayoshi discarded me could never compare to the guilt I was feeling then. How in the world could I make it up to my child when I had already passed away?"  
  
The teenager hesitantly looked up. He was taller than her, but her presence made him feel very, very small.  
  
"But this is when I realized... Even though I had died, _I actually wasn't gone._ I was still conscious, still thinking... Only somewhere else. Somewhere different from the world I had left." she explained, and without being sure why, he threw a glance all around him. The meadow was peaceful. "I don't know why or how it happened. I don't know why I didn't pass on. But the fact remained that I  _was_  there, perhaps dead in the real world, but definitely alive in this one. It was also at this time that I noticed them. My powers."  
  
Her soft, maroon eyes narrowed. They expressed the very same air of seriousness he had always associated with her through their conversations.  
  
"And this is when I understood... My previous identity was no more. I had become what I could only describe as a goddess... A goddess whose name was Sophia."  
  
Akechi Goro was no longer meeting her eyes – his were fixed on the ground. It was unclear whether he was listening or not.  
  
"As for the rest... you already know it. I began observing your life out of worry, only to witness an endless circle of misfortune that culminated in your death... and left me devastated. I simply refused to let you suffer this fate. No matter what, I would find a way to save you... and this is when it hit me. _If I could prevent my death somehow,_ then your future would change as well... and so my plan began. The power I was planning to give you was ready, the objective decided... All that was left to do was wait for your fate to change."  
  
"... How did you... know it would eventually..." he asked in a tiny voice, still looking away.  
  
"I didn't. It was just a shot in the dark. Perhaps your fate would never change... but this wasn't a prospect I wanted to even consider. And so I tried again and again, going thirteen years back each time so as to give you the possibility to lead a better life earlier... But, like I said, this was just a way for me to avert my eyes from my own selfishness."  
  
Akechi Goro shuddered almost imperceptibly, but didn't respond.  
  
"This is also why I had the giant Palace cover the last three years rather than have its creation coincide with the Phantom Thieves' debut, despite the risk that you might notice the discrepancy. If the application were to send you early enough in the past, before you became a criminal... you might have thought of reforming your father then. If you had followed through, a new, brighter future would have awaited. This is the second possibility I gave you."  
  
A short pause went by. She contemplated him for a few moments before speaking up again.  
  
"But again, if I truly was doing it only for your sake, if I was really as selfless as I wanted to believe... I would have told you. I would have given you the idea to reform Masayoshi as soon as we first spoke." she confessed, her speech leaking with remorse. "And I didn't, because I _wasn't_ helping you just for your sake... I was doing it for mine, as well. I wanted to be part of your future, Goro... I wanted to _live."_  
  
Her doleful smile returned, both apologetic and kind.  
  
"And you fulfilled that wish, Goro. You changed my future. And now, thanks to you, I can start over again. As a human being... As a mother."  
  
Akechi Goro's lips parted. He lifted a trembling head at her, wide-eyed, heart tight.  
At long last, his brain was done processing the information his sight and hearing sent to it. The numbness was gone, the automatic responses as well. For the first time since she appeared, he truly saw her. For the first time, he truly heard her.  
Then, it happened. His legs gave out, and he sagged to his knees, like in slow-motion. His eyes didn't leave her.  
The muscles inside his throat constricted, and his chest began to rise and fall rapidly in response to his breathing quickening. To any bystander watching the scene, it might have seemed as though he were about to hyperventilate.  
Great tremors overtook his shoulders, but not just them. His chin and his lip quivered, too. A strange sensation pricked his eyes, burning white-hot.  
This entire chain of actions lasted only a matter of seconds. When the first tear fell, he finally understood what was happening. Back then, he would have done anything in his power to fight it – and would have succeeded. Today, he gave up forcing himself to make it stop before he could even try.  
  
He couldn't remember the last time he cried. Years of uncontrollable sobs had eventually turned to self-restraint, then to complete absence. Misery hardened people's hearts. They would cry, cry and cry some more... until the day when they would simply stop.  
  
But as Akechi Goro lay there, sobbing, gasping and hiccuping, it was easy to understand... that nobody could be drained of their tears forever.

"There is something I want to tell you, Goro."  
  
Before he could even register the words, a foreign sensation blazed upon his skin, prickling him like electricity. It took him a split second longer than the average person to realize what caused it. Soft hands were cupping his cheeks, gently lifting his face until his eyes met his mother's.  
  
"In the end, I am no different than your father. No matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise." she murmured, wiping his stray tears with her thumbs, only for new ones to instantaneously take their place. "Because even though it was with good intent... this entire time, I was deceiving, using and manipulating you. I took advantage of your desire for redemption, your desire to be needed by your friends... and built up your trust on a web of lies. I am... truly sorry."  
  
Akechi Goro gaped at her, his breathing erratic, hot trails of tears pouring down his face. A huge shudder shook his entire body, followed by a new onslaught of sobs.  
  
"But please know that... even if your friends didn't truly need your help, I did. I needed you."  
  
Hiccups and gasps were all that answered her. The teenager sniffled several times before uttering a poignant wail, unable to regain control over himself. Sophia smiled sadly, her gaze conveying just how much her heart was being torn in halves.  
  
"D-Don't you... Don't you h-hate me...?"  
  
It took him a considerable effort to sound intelligible. She looked confused, however, and he elaborated right away, each word more frantic, each syllable more desperate.  
  
"I-I mean... It's b-because... It's because of m-me that Sh-Shidou threw you a-away...!"  
  
Twice in his life, he had spoken those words. The first time was to Akira, on the day when he discovered what felt like the only place of comfort in this world. The second time was to the Phantom Thieves, on the day when he should have died. Both times were accompanied with a heartache, but what was once a prick had now turned to the pain of a stab.  
  
"A-And then, you d-died... because of... because of m-my... exist– A-Ah...!"  
  
Akechi Goro cut himself off with a gasp, entirely petrified. Warmth was suddenly wrapping around him, crashing down like an abrupt wave onto his unprepared mind. Every single one of his muscles tensed up in response to the unknown shock, clueless as to what they were supposed to do, unsure how to deal with what they were not used to. Sophia tightened her embrace and brought a hand to the back of his hair, then leaned in closer.  
  
"I know it is because of me that you believe this... but you're wrong." she whispered to his ear, and another great shudder ran down the teenager's spine. "Children are innocent, Goro. They should never blame themselves for the behavior of adults."  
  
Her hands returned to his face, and once again, their eyes locked together. Akechi Goro gazed at her through a blurry veil, searching the details that were so like his – her lashes, her irises, her nose, her lips... her eyes were deep, so deep they seemed almost out of this world...  
The teenager hiccuped and blinked, two tears rolling down his cheeks in unison.  
  
"It is true that your birth was not planned. It is true that I did not actively want you. Those are facts the guilt of which I will never escape from." she said gravely, her face so close he could see his reflection in her eyes. "But I could never hate my own child. I did something much worse than that. The pain of neglect... The fears that haunt you to this very day... I caused them all."  
  
For a fleeting instant, he thought he saw her own bottom lip tremble, but her emotions didn't betray her further. Perhaps she simply refused to show weakness to her son, not when he was desperately in need for a shoulder to lean on, a strong one.  
  
"You should be the one to hate me, Goro. I failed you." she whispered. Then, she said it again. "As a mother... I failed."  
  
They stared at each other for a moment, until Akechi Goro broke into new sobs that were beyond gut-wrenching. It was as though all those years of restraint were now pouring free, made impossible to tame after being kept bottled up for so long.  
  
"A-Are you... Are you a d-dream...?"  
  
He couldn't help but ask, his pleading eyes refusing to leave hers. He was terrified, terrified that she might be just an illusion, terrified that she might be gone the moment he looked away, terrified that she might even be some kind of ghost...  
  
But as she pulled him into an embrace again, he could feel the warmth radiating from her body, the way her fingers buried themselves in his hair. But above all, he could hear her heart pulsing with life, and that was enough of an answer – no, she was not a ghost. She was flesh and bones. She was real.  
  
"S-So does that... does that mean I'm... I'm not g-going to be alone a-anymore...?" he quavered while breaking away from her, his voice akin to a squeak. "You w-won't... You won't l-leave me, w-will you...?"  
  
Sophia's lip trembled again. But when she answered, it was with her bright, crescent-shaped, tender gaze. "No... I won't. I will never leave you alone again... I promise."  
  
The words echoed inside his head, vibrating from the very recesses of his mind. They were intoxicating him, overwhelming him, spreading through every last fiber of his being, carving each cell with the promise they carried... the promise that would save his life...  
  
Akechi Goro's breathing quickened, and his eyes stung anew. Then, so suddenly Sophia let out an exclamation of surprise, he threw himself into her arms, clutching her body so hard he might be hurting her. But in pain or not, she responded by holding him tighter still, whispering words of comfort over whimpers that wouldn't stop, wiping flows of tears that wouldn't dry, making him feel secure and safe, helping him understand that he was accepted, needed, loved...  
  
"B-But... Why didn't you contact me earlier...?" he asked after a long moment of silence spent in her arms, his breathing calmer, his tears quieter. "Why did you wait for my fate to change when you could have just... given me the ATN sooner?"  
  
He couldn't help but feel frustrated. Now that he found out just how ecstatic her presence made him feel, the thought that he could have enjoyed it much sooner made the pill all the harder to swallow.  
  
"Because you wouldn't have listened." she answered, smiling somewhat apologetically as she stroked his hair. "Since I needed you to reform your father, the earliest I could have contacted you was just after you awakened to your Persona, but at that time... you were already obsessed with your revenge. Reforming Masayoshi instead of carrying out your initial plan would never have satisfied you back then. The only time I knew you would listen... was when your friends opened your eyes. When you gave up on your revenge."

The teenager blinked, but found no counterargument to offer. He knew she was right.  
  
"Speaking of which... This is also why I didn't tell you who I was right away when I first contacted you. I thought you would believe it to be a prank... which would have been the quickest way to make you cut all communication with me." she explained while glancing away with a half-amused, half-reminiscing expression. "I could have at least given you my name, rather than resort to the initial... but if I did, you might have gotten curious and tried to look up information on me instead of focusing on your objective. The name being foreign wouldn't have helped."  
  
Akechi Goro parted his lips, only to change his mind. As much as he wanted to deny it, he could definitely imagine himself trying to look her up – and completely forget about his task at hand in the process...  
  
"Goro? Shall we head back?"  
  
The young man jumped as if jerked awake. Sophia was looking at him with curiosity. "Head back...?"  
  
But just as he forcefully snapped out of his thoughts, she seemed to be suddenly submerged in hers. She was muttering more or less to herself, very much to his confusion. "I believe they are about to rebroadcast Masayoshi's confession. This doesn't surprise me, though... He had already built somewhat of a fame back then."  
  
Akechi Goro tilted his head to the side, feeling like he was missing something. "What are you talking about...?"  
  
Sophia blinked, and immediately redirected her attention on him. She then smiled. "Have you already forgotten, Goro? You reformed your father thirteen years ago. Every single news station is covering the scandal as we speak."  
  
She sounded particularly excited. The teenager furrowed a suspicious eyebrow. "But... Why do you sound so happy?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked right away in return, her gaze brightening. "After all, it was thanks to this scandal that my life changed."  
  
Akechi Goro wasn't sure he understood. He lifted very big, very round eyes at her, prompting her to elaborate without the need for words.  
  
"Thirteen years ago, your father made an unexpected TV appearance. You were sleeping when it happened." she explained, gazing at him tenderly. "Many journalists were not present, probably thinking this would be a regular speech... I bet they must have kicked themselves quite hard when they realized what they missed. He confessed everything. His involvement in blackmail and corruption, his exploiting the police to cover his tracks and bypass the laws, even framing his rivals to get them out of his way or rigging the local elections... He would have probably said more, if the broadcast hadn't been cut off. Though he did also say something about discarding a woman pregnant with his child away..."  
  
The teenager looked at her, his brain slowly processing it all.  
  
"I was in the kitchen at that time, with the TV on. I was shocked to see him, of course, but as I listened to him confess one crime after another... I grew more and more horrified. I was so much in love with that man that I didn't notice... no, I refused to notice the kind of person he really was. I was destroying my health over it, too, while neglecting the real treasure I had, right within arm's reach..."  
  
Akechi Goro froze on the spot, averting his gaze. He could feel his heart flutter.  
  
"I blinded myself for four years. I was refusing to move on." she went on, apparently oblivious to his embarrassment. "But this confession managed to open my eyes overnight... managed to save my life."  
  
The final part resonated inside the young man's head. And then, finally, everything fell into place. He slowly looked up. "So this... is what you were planning since the very beginning...? This is how you thought you could save yourself?"  
  
Sophia confirmed by letting out a hum. "And not just that. With Masayoshi gone, nobody would pick you as their champion for their cruel game ever again... I will make sure it stays this way."  
  
"Huh?" the teenager muttered, blinking in incomprehension. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Sophia's smile changed. It was now a little sly, a little enigmatic. "... I'll tell you later."  
  
Akechi Goro really wanted to protest, but she was faster. "At any rate, I just knew Masayoshi's confession was the key to my change of heart. Hearing the truth from his own mouth was the whiplash I needed."  
  
And before he had time to prepare himself, she cupped his face in her hands for the third time, her eyes twinkling with affection. He could feel himself starting to melt.  
  
"And the one who made that confession happen is you, Goro. You went through so much because of me..." she apologized, looking genuinely sheepish. "And yet, no matter how many times you fell down, no matter how many challenges the world threw at you, you always got up... you never faltered. The entire population might never know what you did... but to me, you will always be a hero."  
  
For a moment, Akechi Goro didn't show any semblance of reaction. He simply remained there, his expression impassive.  
Then, so suddenly he was certain she noticed the warmth on her palms before he could pull away, his cheeks flared up, burning an embarrassing shade of crimson that he hastily hid by looking pointedly at the ground. Sophia giggled, and he decided now was the perfect time to change the subject.  
  
"S-So, um... What will happen once we go back?" he asked, praying he didn't sound as awkward as he thought he did.  
  
"Well, the past thirteen years you have known will be gone. Everything you lived until that point will have never happened, you could say."  
  
"Everything, huh..."  
  
Before he had time to see it coming, a pang of sadness coiled around his heart. His entire body drooped, as if suddenly burdened with a great weight.  
  
"Does that mean I am going to forget...?"  
  
He didn't specify further, but Sophia understood exactly the underlying concern hidden behind his vagueness. She gave him a wistful smile. "Wouldn't you prefer it this way? Those thirteen years represent an entire lifetime's worth of bad memories for you. Don't you think it would be better to have them simply erased from existence?"  
  
The teenager stayed silent, taking the time to give it some thought. The sigh he eventually gave was his sign of concession. "I suppose you have a point..."  
  
Sophia contemplated him for a long moment, then smiled a very new kind of smile, a smile that Akechi Goro would have had much trouble interpreting if he had witnessed it – for only now did he notice Akira's cell phone on the grass, lying beside him. His features turning to a look of sorrow, he slowly picked it up, then held it tightly against his chest. It was only when he finally put it inside his pocket that Sophia stood up and offered him her hand. His gaze strayed from it to her eyes, which were soft, and he closed his own hand over hers, allowing her to lift him up. A familiar sensation lit up somewhere within his brain, one he had come to associate with true rapture. Her hand... It felt just as warm as Akira's...  
  
Together, they stood, facing the horizon. The soft breeze had shifted to a slightly stronger wind, blowing all. Akechi Goro was scared – scared to find out what was waiting for him beyond this line. Whether misery or happiness awaited, the most frightening thing remained the unknown. He wondered if she was sensing his fear, if she was noticing the tension in his fingers, but just as he was contemplating gripping her hand harder at the risk of betraying himself... her own fingers tightened around his, as if to spare him the embarrassment – or perhaps simply because she was afraid, too. Even so, their faces, so eerily similar, gave nothing away.  
  
There was nothing more to say. All that was left was moving forward. And so, like in the beginning of a long journey, they silently set off toward their new future.


	24. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading Succession.

"And then my dad came to pick me up, but you know what? He said that– hey, isn't that Akechi-kun?!"  
  
"Huh? Ahh, it is! I'm gonna take a picture of him!"  
  
"Aaah! He winked at me!"  
  
There was a definite effervescence in the air as the train to suburban Tokyo went on its way, the kind of rush that always accompanied the last forty-eight hours before a new school year began. Carefree children were laughing the hardest, under the glare of their disapproving parents and the furtive glances from the soon-to-be middle schoolers who looked as apprehensive as their seniors were laid-back. A group of teenage boys was absorbed in a discussion involving the homeroom teachers they were hoping to have, the clubs they were planning to join, and of course, the kinds of girls they would be meeting soon. Even elders and businessmen, for whom back-to-school season didn't mean much, seemed to partake in the excitement aboard, oblivious to the unspoken tinge of gloom lingering in the back of the youngsters' minds, the realization that those last two days could no longer be called spring break, but only a disheartening regular end of the week.  
  
... And sure enough, the sentiment was shared outside the commuter train as well.  
  
"Man, I can't believe school starts again the day after tomorrow... They should really make spring break longer."  
  
"Yeah, I guess it is kind of depressing... but still, it's not so bad. Besides, aren't you looking forward to starting track and field again?"  
  
Shibuya Central Street's Big Bang Burger, the place of choice for the Tokyo youth, was as always packed with customers. Whether one took on their famous challenge or simply came for a quick bite, there wasn't a time when the restaurant was even a little bit breathable, and today was no exception. Being a popular hangout spot, it wasn't unusual to see tables of high schoolers sharing the latest gossips as they gobbled up their food, or college students unpacking their laptops, putting on heavy headphones, and getting lost in their homework. Something about this fun atmosphere made people feel at ease, like they could take a break from the expectations of their daily lives and nobody would judge them for it.  
  
"True, there's that, I guess. I hope we'll get some good new blood this time. My grandma could outrun nearly half the team we had last year..."  
  
"Well, as the star athlete of the track team, it's up to you to raise the level, Sakamoto."  
  
The boy named Sakamoto grunted, but didn't argue. The girl sitting in front of him evidently had a point. "Yeah... Guess you're right. I just wish our coach'd try a little harder. Goddamn teach's lazier than any of us."  
  
"You still got it better than the volleyball team, though." she pointed out thoughtfully. "Even when our first year just started, there were already rumors about Kamoshida physically abusing his students when they underperformed, remember? I'm so glad Shiho joined the team only after Kamoshida left..."  
  
"Yeah, speakin' of that..." Sakamoto murmured, ignoring the exasperated sigh coming from the girl. "Don't you think it's–"  
  
"Oh, come on, Sakamoto." she cut off while propping her chin in the palm of her hand. "We've been over this a hundred times already. You're starting to sound like a broken record."  
  
"Well excuse me for soundin' like a broken record, but you gotta admit it's just weird, Takamaki!" he retorted, outraged by her aloofness. "I mean, the guy made the entire school his bitch for almost half a year, kept walkin' around like he owned the place, and then was forced to resign literally overnight! That's just... too perfect, y'know?"  
  
"No, I really don't." Takamaki shot back, pointedly stirring her drink. "There was no way the principal could've turned a blind eye once the videos of Kamoshida's abuse were leaked. Just imagine the scandal if he'd tried to cover it up even though there was proof."  
  
"But that's the thing! Nobody ever talked about settin' up a hidden cam! Who the hell took those vids?"  
  
The longer their conversation went on, the more worked up Sakamoto was – in direct contrast with Takamaki's nonchalance. Clearly, she didn't see what the big deal was.  
  
"It had to be the volleyball team, duh. Or anyone at Shujin who knew about the abuse, at least." she offered while glancing with mild interest at a man who was busy trying to conquer the Big Bang challenge, though it wasn't as exciting as it sounded – so many people tried their hand at it, it stopped being spectacular a while ago. "Of course they wouldn't reveal what they were planning to do. They could've been caught."  
  
"Okay, then explain to me why nobody came forward after Kamoshida was gone? They would've become the hero of the school right away!"  
  
His outburst was such that several people turned to look in their direction. Takamaki waved them off with an awkward giggle, then shot Sakamoto a deadly glare.  
  
"Pipe down!" she hissed, and he reluctantly leaned back against his seat. "Maybe some people don't care about becoming heroes... unlike a certain someone I know."  
  
The hot-blooded teen opened his mouth right away, only to get shut down nearly at once. "Just give it up, Sakamoto. Even if nobody took the credit for exposing Kamoshida, they obviously accomplished what they wanted. Serves him right, really. I heard he was planning to sabotage Shujin's rival teams so that his could shine brighter, you know? Who knows what he would have done to the track team–"  
  
"And I'm still sayin' there's no way anyone at Shujin could've had the balls to expose him like that! Everybody was scared shitless of him. It had to be someone else–"  
  
"Someone who wasn't attending Shujin, you mean?" Takamaki said while rolling her eyes, her sarcasm not even remotely subtle. "Yeah, right. And how would they have known about Kamoshida's abuse if they had no connection to our school?"  
  
"Well, that's..." he mumbled, losing a bit of his combative spirit all of a sudden. "I'm sure they had some way to know... Maybe they knew him personally..."  
  
Needless to say, his argument fell flat.  
  
With a sip from her drink that clearly spelled out this discussion was over, Takamaki reached inside her bag for a fashion magazine and began to fervently skim through it. Sakamoto looked on in curiosity, and all his thoughts surrounding the strange circumstances behind Kamoshida's scandal vanished at once. "New issue out, Takamaki?"  
  
"Yeah. I got my copy this morning." she replied distractedly, evidently looking for something, until her expression brightened. "Ah, there it is!"  
  
Sakamoto had to recoil on his seat so as to not get hit as Takamaki shoved the magazine to his face, but he couldn't blame her for being so enthusiastic. Across the double-page were spread out dozens of pictures reflecting the very same smile he was currently seeing with his own two eyes. The outfits Takamaki was wearing were ranging from sexy to stylish, from punkish to casual. All the styles were completely different from one another and yet, she was pulling off each one of them with ease.  
  
"Hey, congrats." Sakamoto said earnestly as he grabbed the magazine, his eyes scouring the double-page. "How's it feel to finally see yourself in a fashion mag?"  
  
"Pretty good, actually." she replied with a grin – which didn't take long to turn into a thoughtful look. "Though I wish they'd let me handle my makeup myself... It looks way too heavy."  
  
"It don't look that different from usual to me..." he pointed out in an undertone while turning the page. "Wow, your pics keep going. Talk about damn impressive... Wait, why is there a guy with you? I thought this mag was for girl fashion only?"  
  
Alongside Takamaki posed a tall-looking, slender youth, his smile beaming just like an idol's. What seemed to be his profile stood out among the clutter of pictures and text, listing data such as his blood type, date of birth and measurements, alongside various details like his hobbies or even favorite food.  
  
"Hm?" Takamaki uttered, hastily swallowing her mouthful of ice cream once she realized what Sakamoto was talking about. "Oh yeah! That guy's been a fashion model for a while now. He's so popular with girls, the editor thought it'd be great publicity to have him appear in this month's edition as a guest model. And boy, he was right... I saw a group of at least ten girls buy it just because of him. And I'm pretty sure that guy in the subway was interested only in his pictures, too."  
  
"For real? Even guys like him?" Sakamoto retorted, his eyes narrowing as they fell on the model's neck-length brown hair. "Huh, that's weird... Feels like I've seen him somewhere before..."  
  
"Of course you have, Sakamoto!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "He is literally everywhere. On the cover of tons of magazines, on billboards in the subway, even on TV doing commercials... Every high schooler knows who he is."  
  
"Oh yeah? Mind introducin' him to the only one, apparently, who don't know who he is then?"  
  
Takamaki blinked in surprise at the bite in his tone, only to immediately give a mischievous smile.  
  
"Akechi Goro. I met him during the photoshoot we did together. I can understand why everyone is crazy about him... he really is handsome. Not only that, he is super smart and soft-spoken, too. He was especially nice to me during our photoshoot... A real gentleman, you know? Almost like a prince, actually."  
  
"Huh... Seems more like your average pretty boy to me." Sakamoto couldn't help but mutter, his mood souring slightly for some reason. "What's up with his hair, anyways? Don't tell me this is the kind of hairstyle that's popular with girls right now?"  
  
He had intended to sound casual, but the ill-disguised animosity in his words gave him away as plainly as if he had started hissing. Even Takamaki, usually rather oblivious, didn't fail to notice. Her sly smile widened.  
  
"Aw, don't tell me you're getting jealous, Sakamoto." she teased, much to his annoyance. "I don't know if this will be of any comfort to you, but he's totally not my type. Too prim and proper."  
  
"Oh yeah? So you prefer them rougher around the edges, huh?" he asked with a grin, knowing full well she wouldn't answer. "Still, that guy... I just know I've seen him somewhere before... and no, I ain't talkin' about model stuff! I saw him someplace real... Dammit, it's on the tip of my tongue..."  
  
"You're back at it again?" Takamaki scoffed as she retrieved her magazine and lazily began to browse it once more. "Talk about being stubborn... First Kamoshida, now Akechi–"  
  
"Hey, that's it! Kamoshida!"  
  
Sakamoto's yell startled everyone in the near vicinity, Takamaki included. Her features creased into anger again, but whatever she was about to say was drowned in the teen's louder voice. "Pretty boy guy was there on the day when the vids got leaked! He was at Shujin!"  
  
"Huh? What would Akechi be doing at Shujin? He's attending another school." she informed, feeling like she was stating the obvious.  
  
"I dunno, but still, he was there! I saw him by the gates!"  
  
The teen's excitement was slowly but surely rising to startlingly high levels. It had to mean something, anything–  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
Takamaki wasn't too impressed. Sakamoto almost seemed to deflate like a pierced soccer ball, leaving him to blink at her in a way that didn't make him look exactly smart. "Huh?"  
  
"Even if Akechi was there, what would he have to do with Kamoshida? He's completely unrelated to him." she elaborated with a shrug. "Come on, Sakamoto. He was obviously just passing by, and that's that."  
  
Clearly, she thought the matter settled. Several minutes went by before the teenager eventually grunted his concession, forced to admit Takamaki was right – the realization that he had already seen Akechi before had fired him up into imagining crazy scenarios, but it was true his presence at Shujin could be chalked off to mere coincidence. This acknowledgment meant back to square one, though – who the hell managed to set Kamoshida up, when every single student of the school cowered within a mile radius from him?  
  
"You know what... I think I'll ask around again when school starts." he declared slowly, his eyes resolute. "I won't rest till I find out who was ballsy enough to get rid of Kamoshida... Hell, I'll even ask the teachers. Kawakami might know somethin' about– hey, those are _my_ fries you're eatin'!"  
  
"Aw, don't be like that, Sakamoto." Takamaki chirped while munching merrily on what seemed like the best fries she ever had in her life. "Sharing is caring!"  
  
"Yeah, right..." he shot back, although he sounded more weary than he was annoyed. "Who the hell even eats French fries when they already had ice cream, anyways?"  
  
"Shiho told me the same thing." she replied in an unconcerned manner. "I don't see what the big deal is, though. It's all the same once the food is inside your stomach."  
  
"It sure was lucky you didn't scare Suzui off, what with those weird eatin' habits of yours..." he said under his breath as he rested his face in his hand. "By the way, did she give up tryin' to make you join a sport club? That's why she made you pay a visit to the track team last year, right?"  
  
"Nah, she only did it to show you off." she explained, and the sight of his raised eyebrow prompted her to elaborate. "Well, she's always been interested in sports, you know? She was apparently super impressed by your athletic abilities, so much that she convinced me to see for myself what the star of the track team was all about. To think it would turn out to be you, Sakamoto..."  
  
"Hey... What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, not sure how to interpret the implication.  
  
"I'm just saying you haven't changed one bit since middle school, that's all." she answered absently. Sakamoto's eyebrow furrowed further.  
  
"Okay, now what's _that_ supposed to mean?... And will you please stop stuffin' your face with my fries already?!"  
  
"That's compensation." she replied in as dignified a voice as her full mouth allowed her to. "For... the dolphin."  
  
"The dolphin? What dolphin?"  
  
Their bickering continued in this harmless fashion for quite a while, far away from the peaceful, remote little towns in which the suburban train was now passing by. With each stop left more and more commuters, until nearly none remained. At the station before last, only one person got out – a young man, carrying with him several bags of groceries. Despite the cloudy sky overhead and the slight chill in the air, he made his way through the neighborhood at a leisurely pace, only stopping as he exchanged a greeting and some small talk with the passersby who recognized him. Soon, he arrived at his destination, which took on the form of a two-story residential building. Climbing up the stairs leading to the open air walkway, he approached one of the apartments and, with more difficulty than expected – the grocery bags were in the way – he unlocked the door and stepped inside.  
  
"I'm back." he announced as he removed his shoes, leaving them in the entrance way. The front door opened directly on the living room and the kitchen, made separate by a large counter. A woman was standing behind it, busying herself with preparing lunch. She looked up at him, and greeted him with a twinkling gaze.  
  
"Welcome home."  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't help but return his mother's smile. It was a sheepish, timid curve, quite different from the tender one she was giving him, but heartfelt all the same. Her smile turned apologetic upon noticing his bags, and she promptly approached him. "I told you I would do the groceries myself, Goro..."  
  
"But our local supermarket doesn't have any of the ingredients you wanted." he argued as she relieved him of his bags, kissing him thank-you all the while – his grunt of protest was thoroughly ignored – before she returned behind the counter and unpacked the groceries. "Besides, the place where I bought them was right next to the agency. It was no trouble at all."  
  
"Still, you carried those heavy bags all the way back from Tokyo..." she murmured, weighing up the fresh melon in her hands. "Well, I think a fruit salad is in order for tonight's dessert. Lunch is omelette with soy sauce and rice."  
  
A glint flashed in Akechi Goro's eyes – never in his life did he have a better omelette than those made by his mother. The aroma wafting from the onions frying in the pan was already making him salivate.  
  
"So how was your day?" she asked while putting the last of the groceries in the fridge. "Did today's photoshoot go well?"  
  
"Yeah, it did." he replied, coming to her side so as to help her. "They had me model many more outfits than I thought, though, so it took a bit longer than expected. Oh, you bought takoyaki?"  
  
On the counter was a foam box full of crispy-looking takoyaki. They appeared to be pleasantly warm still.  
  
"There was a street vendor on my way back." she explained with the shadow of a smile as she watched him help himself to one. "Careful though, sweetheart. They are quite spicy."  
  
Akechi Goro's eyes shot open, but it was far too late – the takoyaki was already going on its merry way down his throat. He clasped a hand over his mouth, cursing himself for gobbling it up instead of taking just a bite, feeling the burn rising inside his chest–  
  
... But then, realization hit him like a truck. There was no burn whatsoever. He glared at his mother, absolutely not amused. "Mom..."  
  
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I'm sorry." she said right away, and he would have been much more inclined to accept her apology if it hadn't been punctuated with a series of giggles. "That was just too tempting."  
  
The teenager was very much in the mood to sulk, but something about his mother made it impossible for him to hold a grudge against her. In the end, he settled for one last long stare while he wordlessly chewed on a second helping, as if to prove a point. She didn't notice.  
  
"By the way, there was some mail for you." she informed absently while giving the eggs a stir. "I left it on the coffee table."  
  
Curious, Akechi Goro quickly swallowed and approached the table, only for his expression to immediately turn to one of disbelief at her choice of words. That wasn't _some_ mail. That was _a huge mountain_ of mail.  
  
_"To Akechi-kun, from your number one fan... To Akecchi, from Shujin Academy's cutest girl..."_ he read awkwardly, skimming through the envelopes one after another. "Wait, did that one call me Goro-chan...?"  
  
The cutesy characters spelling out the name "Goro-chan" and circled with a series of little hearts certainly seemed to suggest so. Akechi Goro sighed.  
  
"Congratulations on being promoted from Akechi-kun to Goro-chan, sweetheart." his mother's voice teased, though he pretended not to hear. "Why don't you open your presents?"  
  
"My presents?" he echoed, not comprehending, until he noticed the small pile of packages beside the letters. "Wait, those are for me too?"  
  
All the packages were labeled according to the owner of their corresponding letter. Akechi Goro picked up one at random and opened it cautiously, producing an elegant box. Inside was a simple but quite beautiful wristwatch.  
  
"Huh...? A watch...?" he muttered, his eyes narrowing as they fell on the rest of the pile. "Wait a minute..."  
  
Now that he looked more closely, the shape and size of the packages seemed awfully similar.  
... In fact, they were nearly identical from one another.  
  
"Don't tell me those are all watches..." he mumbled incredulously, and sure enough, his hunch was confirmed right away – each package revealed a wristwatch alright. His shoulders hunched over. "Come on, they don't have to waste their money on me like that..."  
  
"Goro, you said in a magazine read by thousands of fans that you were currently saving up to buy a new watch. What did you think would happen?" his mother chimed in, a note of weariness in her words. "If this is what upsets you, I can't imagine your reaction when you see the pile of presents you will inevitably get on your birthday."  
  
The teenager fidgeted around nervously. He definitely didn't like the prospect of being showered in gifts, not when he thought he never did anything to warrant it. "... I guess I'll tell them not to send anything when the time comes... though I'm sure they won't listen."  
  
"No, they probably won't." she agreed, adding three spoons of soy sauce to the eggs before pouring the mixture in the pan. "Just appreciate their generosity, Goro. They do it to make you happy, not uncomfortable."  
  
"Yeah... You're right." he replied while carefully setting the watches aside. "I'll write them back to give my thanks."  
  
On those words, he quickly returned to her side so as to set the table. His mother smiled. "I am sure they will be delighted. Could you grab the parsley up there for me?"  
  
It took only a short while for the omelette to be ready. Akechi Goro sat at the table, watching eagerly as she poured a generous serving of eggs on top of his rice. The bite he took nearly burned his tongue, leaving him no choice but to reluctantly wait for his food to cool off with a sad look on his face.  
  
"Ah, I almost forgot..." she said while leaving the table, and then coming back with some kind of magazine in her hand. She spread it across the table and quickly flipped the pages over. Akechi Goro recognized it at once.  
  
"Oh right, the issue in which I appear as a guest was supposed to be released today. I can't believe you really bought it, Mom..."  
  
"Why wouldn't I? I am always looking forward to seeing your pictures, sweetheart." she replied matter-of-factly, like she was stating the obvious. A glint lit up in her eyes upon finding the pages where he was posing alongside a pretty blonde-haired girl, accompanied by an amused smile at the sight of his listed measurements. "Oh, so you're 180 centimeters tall now? That's funny, Goro. I don't remember you growing that tall overnight."  
  
"They thought it would be more impressive than 178." he explained with a shrug between two spoonfuls of eggs. "The photoshoot went well, but I think I didn't live up to my reputation in the eyes of the staff... The hairstylists kept complaining about me having the most stubborn cowlicks they had ever seen, and I even got scolded by the makeup artist because my skin is apparently in worse condition than a–"  
  
"You look very handsome." she cut off, her eyes tender as she gazed at his pictures. The teenager blinked at her several times, and hurriedly went back to eating his omelette without another word.  
  
Their lunch went on like it always did, spent discussing the little matters surrounding their daily life. It was a pleasant atmosphere, one that many took for granted. But for Akechi Goro and his mother, those seemingly insignificant moments spent together were some of their most treasured memories.  
  
"I am glad you were given the opportunity to model for the very same magazine as that young girl's, at any rate. It was a relief when you told me how well she was doing."  
  
... Because the two of them shared a secret. A secret that remained undiscovered for thirteen years... a secret that would remain undiscovered forever.  
  
"She went through a lot last time, after all... Her friend especially..."  
  
The fragments were set in stone. The memories just wouldn't fade. Orphanage. Loneliness. Bastard child. Other world. Revenge plot. Persona. Murderer. Phantom Thieves. Betrayal. Engine room. Redemption. Sophia.  
  
It all started from there. A nightmare he took thirteen long years to wake up from.  
A nightmare that hadn't been one. Because it had been real.  
Those thirteen years might be no more, but the fact remained they had been real.  
  
"Yeah... She really did. She was radiant during the photoshoot, though. Not that it surprises me... Kamoshida Suguru is gone, after all."  
  
Because Akechi Goro remembered. He remembered... everything.  
  
"You're right. He is." she murmured, breathing out almost inaudibly. "That blond boy's life should have changed for the better as well, then."  
  
The teenager nodded, savoring the last of his omelette. "I don't know how to check up on him, though... It was convenient that I could meet with Takamaki-san thanks to work, but I probably won't get so lucky twice..."  
  
"And I don't think you should ask your female fans at Shujin." she added, rightfully so. "That would be too suspicious."  
  
"Yeah, they would immediately wonder how come I know him... with good reason." he agreed thoughtfully. "Besides, I already owe them for setting up the hidden camera inside Kamoshida's office, I don't want to involve them further..."  
  
His mother's eyes brightened. The memory he was bringing up seemed to please her quite much. "Ah yes, I remember. That was very clever of you to hide it inside that bouquet, Goro."  
  
Akechi Goro couldn't help but grin to himself as well. It had happened a long time ago, but the adrenaline shooting through his veins at the recollection was just as vivid as the real deal back then.  
  
_"Eh? Those flowers are for Kamoshida-sensei, Akechi-kun? And you're saying they're from your classmate?"_  
  
_"Yes, that's right... She has always admired Kamoshida-san, starting from his Olympic days, you see. But since she couldn't find his address and is extremely shy, she asked me to do the delivery myself. I am obviously not allowed inside your school, however... Do you think you could...?"_  
  
_"But of course, anything for you~ We'll leave them in the teachers' offi–"_  
  
_"Ah, I'm sorry, but... would it be possible to leave them in a place where Kamoshida-san is guaranteed to find them first? My friend said it would be embarrassing if another teacher found them before him, especially since she added a note..."_  
  
_"Oh, really? How about the PE faculty office then? Kamoshida-sensei is known to go there first thing in the morning before everyone else arrives."_  
  
_"The PE faculty office, huh... Yes, that would be great. I am sorry for asking you this..."_  
  
_"What are you saying, Akechi-kun?! We're always glad to help!_ _But more importantly, that friend of yours... Who is she?"  
  
"... What?"_  
  
_"I mean, you two are obviously close if she asked you of all people a favor, don't you think? So who is she?!"_  
  
_"Uh... She is..."_  
  
Akechi Goro's grin faded. In fact, he suddenly felt completely exhausted.  
  
"Well, at least you made it in one piece." his mother soothed with an amused smile, reading him like an open book. She then left the table, taking their empty cups to refill them with more hot tea. "At any rate, I don't think you should worry too much about that blond boy. If the young girl is doing fine, he most likely is as well."  
  
The teenager nodded, thanking her for the tea all the while as she returned. "And how is the art student doing? Have you heard from him recently?"  
  
"There was an article about him on the Internet yesterday." he replied, taking a tentative sip of tea. "He apparently became the talk of the art world after winning a competition in which many of the other contestants were some of the most talented painters in Japan. Critics called it a victory against all odds."  
  
"Is that so? I don't find it that surprising myself. It's in his blood, after all." she pointed out in a sigh. "To think that boy never lost his passion for art even after the mentor he admired so much confessed to claiming his mother's masterpiece as his own... He really is incredible."  
  
"But that's the thing." he couldn't help but retort, his eyes narrowing. "I would never have accepted to return under Madarame's care after he served his sentence if I were him. I mean, he knows the truth behind his mother's death! What the hell is he thinking? Who would willingly forgive a bastard like–"  
  
"Language, Goro." she chided, causing the young man to groan. "He probably sensed it. His mentor's genuine remorse."  
  
Akechi Goro stopped dead. He stared right at his mother, his chest rising and falling faster than normal. "Wha–"  
  
"You know what they say, sweetheart... the best way to deal with a problem is to nip it in the bud. Yes, that man committed the unforgivable when he left that poor woman to die, but it was his ever-growing greed that corrupted him and blinded him into becoming truly monstrous. And since said greed was uprooted before it could grow out of control, he managed to keep some of his humanity intact. His cracking under the weight of his guilt was the natural next step, and those months spent in jail likely helped him reflect as well. I heard he is a genuinely kind man now... treating all his pupils with respect, and raising that young artist like his own son."  
  
She brought her tea to her lips, and then added something else. "Everyone lamented over the Sayuri burning to ashes in that fire years ago, calling it the art world's greatest loss... but what Madarame-san probably considered to be a tragedy of another kind was really a blessing in disguise. He wouldn't have turned into the humble man he is now if that incident hadn't happened."  
  
The teenager stayed silent for a moment, contemplating those words. His head eventually drooped onto his chest. "Yeah... but in the end, it was Kitagawa-kun and his mother who paid the price for keeping Madarame under control. That painting was probably a treasure to them both, and now it's... gone..."  
  
"And this is what saved that young man, as well as many other aspiring artists." she reminded gravely. "Sacrifices are sometimes necessary, sweetheart. You think that his mother would be distraught over the loss of her painting, but I firmly believe that a true artist would much rather have their masterpiece destroyed than stolen from them and plagiarized into exhaustion. There is no worse offense in the art world... and I am sure her son would agree. That was the right thing to do, Goro."  
  
Their gazes met. His mother was smiling, a comforting little smile. Akechi Goro couldn't help but smile sheepishly as well, a very faint flush rising to his cheeks.  
  
"But I have to say, sweetheart, even after all this time... I still get chills thinking about what would have happened to you if you had been caught. Thank goodness you left no evidence behind."  
  
In the blink of an eye, the teenager's mood changed. He breathed out a very long, very deep sigh.  
  
"Well, you did your share of work too, Mom... But I guess those years of being a detective turned hitman did help a little..." he muttered, which prompted a roll of the eyes alongside a wry smile from his mother. "Though I should probably add firestarter to the list, now that I think about it..."  
  
"Let's just say that drastic times call for drastic measures." she responded wisely, and like that, the matter was settled. "More tea, sweetheart?"  
  
It was already past one o'clock when the last of their tea got cold. The rest of their conversation had now turned to the imminent start of the new school year, though neither of them were too worried about it. Knowing beforehand the entirety of the syllabus was quite the advantage, after all... like it was each year.  
  
"Speaking of your school, I was actually in the vicinity this morning." she said as she peeled an apple – she had refused his offer to do it himself – and cut it into chunks for them to share. "This shop nearby truly has the most beautiful silverware of Tokyo."  
  
"Mh?" the teenager managed, the apple chunks filling his mouth preventing him from uttering a slightly more intelligible "Ah?"  
  
"There were so many that caught my eye, I actually ended up not buying anything." she continued, chuckling at his big, round eyes and puffy cheeks. "But more importantly, I ran into the woman you used to work with."  
  
At this, Akechi Goro felt his heart flip.  
  
"What? You saw Sae-san?!" he sputtered, very nearly swallowing his mouthful of apples the wrong way. "How... How was she?"  
  
"Well... Quite different from how you probably remember her. She was extremely cheerful, for one."  
  
The teenager's expression changed. His surprise vanished, but not in favor of joy. It had stepped aside for a dark, bitter frown. "Hmph, of course she was. There are no people going on a rampage and other inexplicable deaths to stress her out anymore, after all..."  
  
"I don't think that's really it." she replied kindly, bringing a comforting hand to his cheek. "Besides, even if those incidents still happened, a lawyer wouldn't be concerned by them. It is prosecutors who work with the police, after all."  
  
Akechi Goro's lips parted. He looked up at her, unsure whether he understood. "Huh...? A lawyer...? Are you saying Sae-san is no longer a–"  
  
"There was an attorney badge on her lapel. She was looking very confident and capable."  
  
The teenager blinked once, then twice, until his gaze fell. A wave of strange melancholy overcame him, one he couldn't really explain. So Niijima Sae was now defending people instead of prosecuting them... He was glad to hear that.  
  
But just as the thought came to him, a distant memory bobbed to the surface of his mind – the voice of Niijima Makoto, explaining that her sister became a prosecutor back then precisely because their father was killed in the line of duty... And since she clearly wasn't one _now_ , could it be that...  
  
"No way... Her father is alive...?"  
  
His mother neither confirmed nor denied just yet, but the way her eyes turned to crescents spoke louder than words. He stared at her open-mouthed.  
  
"I saw the three of them outside the local police station. The two daughters and their father." she explained while standing up to put the dishes away. "I believe they came to pick him up from work. They seemed extremely close."  
  
"... But how?" he asked at last, bewildered like he hadn't been in a long time.  
  
"Well, from what I understood last time... Their father was on the trail of a very notorious gang, which retaliated by having him assassinated. But this gang probably wouldn't have gotten so dangerous in the first place... if it hadn't been backed up by such a powerful connection."  
  
A strange sensation settled in the teenager's stomach as his mother sat back again, along with a slight increase in his heart rate. Her attitude changed as well. She was now staring off in the distance, her face resting in the palm of her hand.  
  
"Masayoshi... He sure had some of the most frightening ties."  
  
Akechi Goro didn't respond. Her eyes fell upon him, and a tiny smile returned to her lips. "It is quite spectacular how much of an influence negative forces have on mankind. And when a negative force is so powerful that it can turn good into bad, and bad into worse... you find yourself dealing with the worst kinds of monsters. Of course, the same logic applies to positive forces as well. People do not turn the way they do on their own, but because of countless human interactions... Interactions that can make the difference between good and evil."  
  
A short silence passed by. The teenager looked at her, his expression unfathomable. He perfectly understood what she was trying to convey – Shujin Academy's principal, Madarame Ichiryusai, Kaneshiro Junya, Okumura Kunikazu, Niijima Sae's former superior, and many others... Shidou's former allies probably never were good people to begin with, but he was certain it was his father's influence that pushed them to become the criminals they were back then. Evil bred evil, or so they said – and that was true. This is why he could understand the reasoning behind those men's immorality and corruption. In fact, he could understand it better than anyone.  
  
After all, Akechi Goro had been no different from any of them.  
  
"The CEO of that fast food chain is probably the greatest example, now that I think about it. He was one of Masayoshi's most fervent... patrons, after all. His desire to rise into the political world likely came from their crossing paths as well, but now that he experienced neither a taste of politics nor the power to get rid of his rivals, it's easy to understand why he never turned out the way he did once. I haven't heard about any scandals surrounding his company, at the very least."  
  
"Yeah..." the young man muttered as he listlessly took a small chunk of apple from the plate, though he didn't bring it to his lips. "I'm still going to keep an eye on him, though... Just in case."  
  
She contemplated him for a long moment, to the point that Akechi Goro blinked back at her several times in curiosity. Then, she smiled a very fond, very tender smile. "You work so hard, Goro."  
  
The teenager froze on the spot. He suddenly felt extremely flustered for some reason – whether it was because of her words, or the way she was gazing at him, or a combination of the two, he couldn't tell. "Huh...?"  
  
"It is thanks to your efforts that so many people's futures could change for the better. Shujin's students, those two sisters, that CEO's daughter as well as his employees, the young artist and his fellow art students, not to mention all those other people you helped without their knowledge... I don't think you realize how proud I am of you. Through you, the legacy of the Phantom Thieves lives on."  
  
Akechi Goro had never realized until that very moment how interesting their table was. Or how hot it could get even in early April.  
  
"By the way, Goro... I went to see your father today."  
  
The teenager's eyes opened wide. His embarrassment instantaneously drained away, though his agitation did not.  
  
"Y-You did...?" he said in a would-be casual tone, hadn't it been for the stammer in his voice.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't let you know sooner. I wasn't sure myself whether to go or not until this morning."  
  
Akechi Goro swallowed. He resolved himself not to sound like he cared, but his next question was out of his mouth before he could try to stop it. "So what did he say...?"  
  
"Well, he was extremely surprised to see me, as you can imagine. He didn't understand why I, of all people, would visit him."  
  
"So he... recognized you?" the teenager asked, his eyes shifting from her to the table in quick succession. She nodded.  
  
"The first thing he said was that he was sorry. That even thirteen years later, he couldn't forgive himself for discarding me and his unborn child." she related, her speech slower than usual. "He also added that he was willing to give us anything he still had as compensation the moment he would be released from jail."  
  
"Huh...? Does that mean he's going to be released soon...?" he interrupted, looking up at her hesitantly.  
  
"No, not just yet... He still has around seven years or so." she replied quietly. "Twenty years of jail might seem like a short time considering the gravity of his crimes, but he is apparently a good inmate."  
  
Akechi Goro said nothing. His expression was now undecipherable.  
  
"At any rate, I declined his offer. I said you and I were already managing just fine on our own, which seemed to relieve him immensely." she went on after a brief silence. "He asked about you. I told him you grew up into a fine young man."  
  
For the first time since she brought up that subject, a smile flickered onto her lips – it was very little, nearly invisible, a tiny sad thing.  
  
"He said he was glad to hear that. And while he didn't expect to ever be forgiven for leaving you behind, he wanted you to know that his biggest regret... was his failure as a father."  
  
An interminable silence dragged by. Akechi Goro's head was turned somewhere else, making it impossible to tell what sort of expression he was wearing on his face.  
  
But then, without warning... a noise very much like a derisive grunt escaped him.  
  
"... He's just saying that because of the change of heart. It's no different than brainwashing." he muttered coolly. His mother looked at him in a strange sort of way.  
  
"Do you really think this is what reforming people was? Brainwashing?" she asked, her voice soft, and he responded with an impatient nod.  
  
"All the people who were reformed had their personalities completely altered. Their remorse was just forged and manufactured so that they would confess their crimes." he grumbled, bitterness dripping off each syllable. "Nobody understood back then that the apologies of a reformed person were just like fabricated evidence. They never had any meaning. They were just empty words."  
  
His heart tightened, to the point it felt painful. That's right. It was all... just empty words.  
  
"I disagree, Goro."  
  
Akechi Goro straightened up at once. He blinked several times, taken aback by the rare display of his mother's severity – so rare, in fact, that it was all the more intimidating. "Wh-What...?"  
  
"Every single person is capable of genuine guilt. Some people's desires are just so warped and twisted that the delusions of their hearts keep said guilt at bay." she explained, her expression solemn. "And when those delusions are removed, every repressed emotion surfaces again, set free from the confines of their hearts. They might have been suppressed once, but the guilt, the remorse, the regrets, they are all real."  
  
She leaned in closer, her hand cupping his cheek once more. "It is true that your father's apology was forced out of him, just like it is true that he would never have expressed this kind of emotion if he hadn't been reformed. But compelled or not, those regrets are your father's true feelings. They are not fake emotions instilled within his mind after the change of heart. They are the genuine emotions that have always been there... that the change of heart merely restored."  
  
For several minutes that seemed to stretch on forever, the teenager stayed silent. Save for the slow rising and falling of his chest, his body was entirely still. And then, he looked up.  
  
"So you think he really means it...?" he asked in a very quiet tone he wanted unconcerned, though the unmistakable trace of hope in his voice betrayed him. "He really... cares about..."  
  
He couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. He stared at his knees, oblivious to his mother's eyes taking on that crescent shape he had seen so many times before.  
  
"... He wanted to see you." she murmured, earning a nearly inaudible gasp. "I told him I would allow it only if you were willing, and that I wouldn't insist if you refused."   
  
Their gazes met – his was speaking of shock, hers was calm and patient. The teenager opened his mouth, but no sound came out. A flash of distress stole over his features, and his eyes fell down again. "I... I don't know what to..."  
  
His voice trailed off. He closed his eyes, looking supremely defeated – until he once again felt his mother's hand caressing his cheek in a sign of comfort. Very slowly, his eyes locked with hers.   
  
"You don't have to answer today. You don't even have to answer at all if you don't want to." she whispered, speaking in a slow, reassuring tone. "But if one day, you feel ready to give me an answer, no matter what it is... I'll listen."  
  
A very timid smile rose to Akechi Goro's lips, accompanied by the smallest of nods. "... Thank you, Mom."  
  
She merely smiled back by way of answer.  
  
"Well, Goro... Spring break is almost over. How about making the most of it while you still can?" she prompted, and he didn't need telling twice.  
  
"Yeah... There was some place I was planning to go this afternoon anyway." he said while standing up, reaching into his pocket so as to check his phone's battery level, only to find himself entranced at its sight, just like he had been so many times before. A knot of muscle very slightly tightened inside his throat as the memories surfaced again, alongside a dull pang of sorrow grazing his heart – it started happening thirteen years ago. Both sensations had dimmed a little with the passage of time, but Akechi Goro couldn't say for sure... that the pain would ever go away.  
  
"Do you miss him, Goro...?"  
  
She had stood up as well. Her expression conveyed her concern more plainly than her tone ever could. The pain upon his heart deepened, and he answered with a nod, so feeble it might not have happened at all. But when he finally looked up, a reassuring smile was brightening his face. "... But I'm alright. Don't worry about me, Mom."  
  
Her features made it clear that she did, in fact, want to worry, but she ended up only answering with a smile of her own.  
  
"Anyway, I should get going..." he said distractedly, straightening his collar and then sighing as he knelt down to retrieve one of his silver jewels. It was the third time this week that it fell from his collar. But as he was about to pick it up, his mother beat him to the punch – and then proceeded to pin it back in place herself, earning a groan of protest in the process.  
  
"I can do it myself, you know..." he grunted in embarrassment, though he didn't try to pull away from her. "I'm not a kid."  
  
"Sorry, sweetheart." she replied playfully while ruffling his hair. "To me, you will always be my tiny little child."  
  
Akechi Goro said nothing, but his expression was eloquent enough. She merely reacted with a giggle that made it all the harder to sulk, much to his annoyance. In the end, he merely breathed out and walked up to the front door, putting his shoes on. "Well, I'm off."  
  
"Are you meeting with a friend today?" she asked, her smile turning curious. He looked back at her just as curiously.  
  
"Huh? No, that's not planned... What makes you say that?"  
  
She kept quiet for a moment, her face registering very mild surprise. But then, her eyes turned to crescents once more. "No... It's nothing."  
  
Akechi Goro frowned suspiciously. It could be his imagination, but he had the nagging feeling that she was hiding something from him, and said feeling didn't go away even as she waved him goodbye. It only vanished after she closed the door behind him, because something else caught his attention – or yanked it up, more like.  
  
"Oh my, Akechi-chan! It's been too long!"  
  
The source of the booming cry echoed from the very end of the walkway, and more specifically from the old lady coming at him with the speed of a freight train. Akechi Goro took a step back, but it was far too late – she was already going for the bear hug and kiss. "My, that first week went so fast, but the second one... talk about moving at a snail's pace! Yes, yes, traveling broadens the mind and all that jazz, but nothing will ever beat home, don't you agree? And finally, finally, I'm back!"  
  
"I... I noticed..." he choked out under his breath, her grip on his ribs so tight he was certain they were about to crack. How the hell could such a tiny old lady be so strong...?  
  
Akechi Goro and his mother met that woman two years ago, when she rang their doorbell to introduce herself as the new neighbor. Her children being of age, she lived alone, though she certainly didn't seem lonely. Rumor had it she was quite the femme fatale in her prime time... and the teenager had no trouble believing it. She was a genuinely kind woman under her overwhelming presence, at any rate... and she also happened to be  _extremely_ fond of him.  
  
"So how have you been, dearie? It's been ages!" she squealed again while finally letting go of him, much to his relief. "I have so many things to tell you and your mother, I don't even know where to start!"  
  
"A-Ah... Is that so...?" he stuttered, but she didn't seem to hear him – she was now fumbling with her bags, thrusting various items into his arms as she emptied her luggage of its contents. "Um, what are you–"  
  
"The presents, dearie, the presents! Now where did I put them..." she interrupted, her hands full with what looked like a matryoshka doll and a tambourine. "That reminds me of that time at the airport on my way to Rome when I was stopped at the customs because of a so-called suspicious object in my belongings. I told them they were crazy to think I could carry anything even remotely dangerous but it was like talking to a brick wall, so all I could do was unpack my luggage for the whole airport to see except that the item they wanted to examine was at the very bottom and–"  
  
"Goro, are you still there? I forgot to ask you if you could send this letter for me– oh, what a surprise! You're back!"  
  
With an immense feeling of relief, Akechi Goro glanced over his shoulder to see his mother standing in their doorway, but she wasn't looking at him. Her attention was fully on their neighbor. "It is so good to see you again. How was your stay in Osaka?"  
  
"Ah, Akechi-san! It was lovely, very lovely." the older woman chirped, leaping to her feet and planting a kiss on his mother's cheek. "But as I was telling Akechi-chan here, two weeks away from home is much too long. I couldn't wait to come home during the last few days!"  
  
"I can understand that. I too believe that no place in the world will ever surpass home." she replied earnestly, her eyes twinkling even as they stopped on the neighbor's mess of a luggage. "Are you looking for something? Can we help you?"  
  
"No need, no need, Akechi-san. I found them. Here, souvenirs from Osaka."  
  
The teenager had to twist his neck around the tall tower of items in his arms to catch a glimpse of the presents the neighbor was giving his mother – they seemed to be two boxes of confectioneries, and quite expensive-looking at that. Waving away the words of gratitude from his mother, the older woman proceeded to toss back her belongings into her luggage with evidently no concern for order whatsoever.  
  
"I must have already said it before, but your boy is so reliable, Akechi-san." she was rambling as she quite unceremoniously freed his arms little by little. "And so polite, too. He reminds me a bit of that man I met when I was younger... A European, you know? A real sweet-talker, that one was, with his slick-backed hair and extravagant suits, but under all that was a very meek and sweet man, a shame he decided to go to America... But back to talking about you, dearie, did I mention you are everywhere on the billboards of Osaka? I really liked the one advertising that perfume, you were looking especially handsome in it, the white suit was really bringing out your eyes, what is this shade of brown called again, it is on the tip of my tongue–"  
  
"Surely you will come in for a little refreshment?" his mother interrupted with a bright smile, and another bubble of relief swelled within his chest. "You just had a long journey, so if you would allow me..."  
  
The neighbor beamed at her, joining her hands together in clear delight. "Oh, with pleasure, Akechi-san, with pleasure!"  
  
"The pleasure is all mine." she responded while stepping aside to let the older woman in first. Her eyes then met his, until she gave a very slight, barely noticeable jerk of the head, and he didn't need anything more. Mouthing his gratitude at her, he made to leave as quickly as possible – only to find himself staring at her and being stared at in return, like the flow of time had just stopped. The rest of the world was gone. In that moment, only they remained. He was getting lost – lost in the depths of those eyes.  
  
Before him stood Sophia – S. She was the chessmaster. The goddess. The mastermind.  
  
But more importantly, she was Akechi Goro's mother.  
  
She took care of him when he was sick. She always called the doctor the moment he would catch anything more serious than a cold. She praised all of his accomplishments, from the greatest to the most trivial. She always cheered him on, supported him, approved of him. She never hesitated to spend all the money she earned on him. She helped him make a lifetime's worth of cherishable memories. She was always by his side no matter what... no matter what.   
  
Japan was not kind to single mothers. She was the woman that society looked down upon. She was the woman that everyone thought unreliable and at the lower end of the social ladder. Even so, she never gave in – she never repeated her fatal mistake. To Akechi Goro, she was nothing like the world painted her as. She was...  
  
"My, Akechi-san, those curtains are new, aren't they? They look absolutely gorgeous, you _must_ tell me where you bought them!"  
  
"Oh, those? They are from–"  
  
His mother's voice trailed off as she quickly stepped inside, silently waving him goodbye once more all the while. Akechi Goro stood there, gazing at their front door behind which she had disappeared. She didn't give him the letter she wanted him to send on her behalf.  
... And something told him it wasn't because she forgot.  
  
_You saved me twice in a row today, Mom...  
  
_ Yes, that's exactly what she was. She was the woman who brought him true happiness. She was the woman who made his life worth living. She was the woman who loved him, and who taught him how to love in return.  
  
The merest of smiles rising to his lips, Akechi Goro turned on his heel and left at a swift pace, retracing his path to the train station. Just like each time, he got himself his usual seat near the doors of the car, watching the buildings get taller and the roofs higher as the quiet little towns progressively morphed into a concrete jungle of endless skyscrapers and giant TV screens towering all. It always took a very long time to go to Tokyo. Still, no matter how far from home he was, there were some places around that substituted for it just fine. The neighborhood of Yongenjaya was one of them.  
  
After two transfers and many smiles given – today's newest issue was apparently an even bigger hit than usual – Akechi Goro got off the subway to find himself in the pleasant streets he had wandered so many times before. Going there after school or work had become a habit of his, to the point that many people around treated him like he was a neighbor rather than a passerby. Days and days could pass, but Yongenjaya just wouldn't change – it was always the same routine, the same greetings, the same homely atmosphere which the teenager had come to like so much. Today, however, there was one new detail, one thing breaking the monotony of his recurring visits.  
  
_Looking for a full or part-timer. Job requires washing the dishes, preparing food and drinks, keeping the place clean, and attending to customers. Housing can be provided if necessary. Contact us for more information._  
  
On the front door which the teenager was about to push open had been taped this notice, though it wasn't the reason why he stopped in his tracks – he had already seen it before. No, what caught his eye was that the job offer had now been crossed out in a marker pen, with the words "Position filled" scribbled underneath in red capital letters.  
  
_So they found someone, huh..._  
  
His expression turned unreadable. He was still lost in thought even as he opened the door, but the jovial cry echoing off the walls immediately snapped him back to reality.  
  
"Oh, hey, Akecchi! Come in, come in!"  
  
Taken aback by the nickname but glad to be greeted so warmly nonetheless, Akechi Goro approached and took his usual place at the counter, one seat away from a chipper red-haired girl. Given the size of the empty plate before her, she just got out of a very, very generous lunch.  
  
"Sojiro, your most regular of regulars is there! Forget those cupboards already!" she commanded in her booming little voice, either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring the glances from the other customers around. As if summoned, the owner emerged from beneath the counter, a ladle in his hand.  
  
"Huh? Ah, it's you, kid. Good to see you." he said earnestly. "What will it be?"  
  
"The usual, please." the teenager answered as he leaned back on his seat, making himself comfortable. His eyes swept the room, and he redirected his attention on them both. "How have you been, Futaba-chan, Sakura-san? Business going strong as ever, I see."  
  
The state of the Leblanc coffee shop certainly seemed to suggest so, at least. All the booths were full, and the drinks on each table more than plentiful. It was so crowded, in fact, that at the end of each booth were additional chairs to accommodate as many customers as possible. Only the counter was somewhat less busy, with two or three seats still vacant.  
  
"It sure is!" Futaba chirped, beating the owner to the punch. "Sojiro said he's going to add tons of new stuff to the menu! Tamago curry, katsu curry, ebi furai curry, oh, and desserts too! Matcha ice cream, black sesame flan, and, and–"  
  
"Settle down, Futaba. Geez, there's nothing that exciting about expanding the menu..." the older man remarked wearily, though he probably knew he was fighting a losing battle. "But yeah, what she said. Customers are coming left and right... I will soon be forced to refuse some at this ra–"  
  
"Sojiro, can I change the channel? It's almost time for Featherman!" she interjected, and the teenager silently wondered what the point of asking even was when she was already reaching for the TV remote and zapping through the channels at a tremendous pace. Judging by Sakura Sojiro's exasperated roll of the eyes, this is what he was thinking as well, though he made no audible comments.  
  
"Here's your order." he said while placing a cup of coffee on the counter. "So what brings you here today? Of all places, this is where you choose to spend the last of your free time before school starts again?"  
  
"I'm glad I did." Akechi Goro replied simply, bringing the cup to his lips and taking a sip. The owner scratched the back of his head awkwardly and muttered something under his breath, though the way he puffed out his chest ever so slightly didn't escape the teenager.  
  
"Aw, come on, they already aired that episode last week! And after they said there would be a new episode today, too!" the young girl was whining meanwhile, her cheeks so puffy it made her look amusingly similar to a blowfish. "Can you believe the nerve, Akecchi?"  
  
"They should be brought to court." he humored, earning a fervent "That's right!" in return. "By the way, Futaba-chan, about that nickname–"  
  
"Heh, so you noticed? I overheard a girl at Shujin calling you that and I thought it was pretty funny, so–" she told with an impish grin, but the teenager cut her off.  
  
"Huh? You went to Shujin Academy, Futaba-chan? What for?" he asked, looking at her curiously, but it was Sakura Sojiro who answered.  
  
"She wanted to see how high school was like, so I brought her there just before spring break started. Mind you, we couldn't go inside, but we were able to ask the students who stuck around after school a couple of questions. I think it managed to make her a little bit less worried."  
  
"I-I wasn't worried to begin with!" she protested, though her stammer spelled out quite the opposite. "Besides, I can already tell high school won't be a bore like middle school was!"  
  
"That's the spirit, honey."  
  
Akechi Goro froze up. A presence passed right behind him, greeted by a cheerful "Mom!" from a bright-eyed Futaba and a sly smile from the owner.  
  
"Wakaba..." he welcomed in a whisper, his entire attitude making a heel turn. He was now standing straighter, taller, almost built better, now very close to the image of the womanizer he had always described himself as. This seemed to be some sort of game between them, if the playful smile the woman responded with was anything to go by.  
  
"G-Good afternoon, Isshiki-san." Akechi Goro stuttered as she sat down by his side, separating him from Futaba, only to feel his blood chill in his veins at the sight of her arched eyebrow. "Oh, um, since Futaba-chan called you Mom, I assumed that..."  
  
It was impossible to tell what the woman was thinking in that moment. She was staring at him, impassive black eyes boring into shifty maroon ones. And just when the teenager thought he could take it no more–  
  
"I see. Aren't you perceptive." she said quietly, and it took him a supreme effort not to sigh in relief. His quick thinking managed to make up for his carelessness somehow, but how long until his next slip-up?  
  
His frantic heartbeat was so audible to his ears, the young man was convinced it was a miracle that nobody around seemed to notice. In all his time spent at Leblanc, he had never run into Isshiki Wakaba even once... and if he were honest, he would have been rather fine with things staying that way.   
  
"Curry, Wakaba?" the owner offered, and Akechi Goro took advantage of her distraction to chug down a much needed glass of water. "I'm thinking of trying a new recipe, so if you would do me the honor..."  
  
"With pleasure." she answered serenely. "Do the customers like the addition of the apples, soy sauce and honey to the curry roux? I was thinking that perhaps it wasn't such a good idea–"  
  
"Heh, what are you talking about? Just take a look around." he shot back, jerking his chin toward the room. "I never had so many people order anything more than a cup of joe before."  
  
"Is that so..." she replied with a self-satisfied smile the teenager found intriguing – and apparently, Futaba noticed.  
  
"Mom is the one refining all of Sojiro's recipes!" she explained as she leaned forward. "He comes up with the basic stuff, but it's Mom's input that makes his food so good!"  
  
"That's right. Frankly, I don't think this place would be such a success if Wakaba wasn't there." the old man agreed, and anyone could see that his compliment wasn't motivated by flattery or sweet-talking – he truly meant those words. "To think things would get so busy that I would have to resort to hiring a part-timer..."   
  
"Well, if that's what you gotta do, then that's what you gotta do!" Futaba chimed in, speaking like she was delivering great wisdom. "Just trust Mom's advice, Sojiro!"  
  
Feeling like it was about time he spoke up before his prolonged silence would be considered awkward, Akechi Goro forced himself to relax a little and joined in the conversation. "So that was your mother's decision too, wasn't it. Does that mean you work at Leblanc as a manager, Isshiki-san...?"  
  
"Well, I suppose you could say that, but this isn't what I do for a living. I actually have another profession." she said in between two sips of her drink. "I study what I call cognitive psience. Do you know what that is?"  
  
Whatever expression showed on the teenager's face vanished. Very slowly, he put his own cup of coffee back onto the saucer. "... No, I don't."  
  
"I am not surprised. Not many people have heard about it, and those who have usually dismiss it as pseudoscience." she admitted with her calm, poised manner. "But if I am correct, this research I am doing could be the discovery of the century... No, more than that. It would be nothing short of a revolution in the scientific world."  
  
Futaba propped her chin in her palms, hanging on her mother's every word with a half-fascinated, half-hungry look on her face. Isshiki Wakaba's attention, however, was fully on the young man. "There exists another world beside our own where our other selves reside, built upon the cognitions of mankind. You could think of the cognitive world's foundation as a mixture between science and supernatural, though that last aspect doesn't make this study any less legitimate. The cognitive world is real, I am sure of it... born from the perceptions of the human mind. This is why I call this research cognitive psience, from psi, as in psyche."  
  
"I... see." Akechi Goro said stiffly for a lack of better reaction. He definitely didn't like where this discussion was headed, but unfortunately for him, the woman didn't give a single sign of cutting it short anytime soon. Her passion imbued her speech in a way that was almost frightening.  
  
"Hey, Wakaba... Are you sure you should be saying all this stuff?" Sakura Sojiro stepped in, a sort of frown on his face. "Aren't the details supposed to be confidential?"  
  
"No, it's alright. I already filed a patent on the research." she replied while shaking her head. She then turned toward the teenager again, who couldn't help but recoil a little bit himself.  
  
"According to my research, the cognitive world and our own are so closely tied together that one's actions could impact them both, with different outcomes whether those actions are performed from the real world's side, or the cognitive world's side. That's right, the cognitive world, which you could call the fake world, is able to impact reality despite all." she added with the flicker of a smile at the change in his expression, likely interpreting it as stunned disbelief. "For example, do you remember when I said that the cognitive world is inhabited by our other selves? Well, if something were to happen to them, the correlation would make it directly affect the host in the real world as well, or so I believe. In fact, I suspect that depending on the gravity of the shock, the host might very well..."  
  
Without warning, her eyes opened wide, and she immediately interrupted herself. Both the red-haired girl and the owner knitted their brows, but their concerned queries fell on deaf ears. Isshiki Wakaba stared off straight ahead like she was in some sort of trance, as though mystified by something only she could see. Then, very slowly, her eyes met his.  
  
"... Akechi Goro, was it? Futaba told me about you." she declared, each syllable a fraction of second longer than they should be. "I'm sorry, but... have we met before?"  
  
It was difficult to tell what exactly was reflected in the depths of her eyes. It seemed to be a mixture of confusion, perplexity... and perhaps even a tinge of suspicion. Akechi Goro's heart felt like it was stuck right in his throat. "... I don't think so."  
  
"Really...? This is strange... I have the feeling that..."  
  
Once again, she cut herself off, eyes narrowing as she fell in thought. The teenager swallowed hard, but there was no getting rid of the nervousness eating away at his stomach. "... Have you perhaps seen me in a TV commercial or in an advertisement, Isshiki-san? This might be the reason why you are being confused..."  
  
A long silence around them ensued. Her eyes narrowed even further, and she very slowly leaned closer to him, the puzzlement gone from her eyes. All that remained was the distrust.  
  
_She knows I'm lying,_ he thought desperately as he struggled to hold her piercing gaze, _I don't know how, but she definitely does...  
  
_ The woman contemplated him for another very long moment, and finally, she opened her mouth. The young man braced himself, his entire body tensing to its limit–  
  
"... I am going to use the washroom. Sojiro, the curry was delicious."  
  
And on those words, she stood up and left, leaving a very confused Akechi Goro behind.  
  
"What was that about?"  
  
"Beats me."  
  
The red-haired girl and the owner both shrugged, but none of their exchange reached him. He was staring at the door to the restroom, eyes wide, lips apart, heart fast, only to jump at least a foot in the air as some kind of furball leaped out of nowhere onto the counter, tipping his cup of coffee over. Panting like he had just finished a marathon, his eyes fixed on the creature, looking at it in a mixture of disbelief and shock. "Morgana...?"  
  
No, that was wrong, Akechi Goro thought. It looked a lot like him, but that cat's eyes were green, not blue.  
  
"Hey! I already told you he isn't supposed to come downstairs, Futaba!" Sakura Sojiro yelled, but his efforts went ignored.  
  
"Aw, kitty, you can't scare customers like that! Though I must say, Akecchi's squeak of fear was super funny." Futaba giggled, and a jolt of annoyance lit up inside his brain.  
  
"I did not squeak in fear." he denied from the corner of his mouth, prompting her to stick out her tongue at him mischievously. With a weary sigh, he let his body sag on his chair. "Sakura-san, who is this cat...?"  
  
"Just a stray. We found him the other day in the streets. Little thing kept meowing for food." the older man explained as he grudgingly cleaned up the mess the cat had left on the counter. "I was hoping to name him, but Futaba somewhat persuaded me to let her name him herself..."  
  
"By which you mean, she threw a tantrum, isn't that right?" the teenager couldn't help but gibe, casting a sideways glance at her accompanied by an amused smile. Her outraged "Hey!" only served to make him chuckle, and Sakura Sojiro joined in as well.  
  
"Well, that would have been fine by me if she had given him an actual name. He's just Kitty." he said with a shrug. Futaba suddenly looked defensive.  
  
"What's wrong with that name? It's super cute!" she tried to argue, though her shoulders slumped a little afterwards. "But I guess it's true that it isn't an actual name... Akecchi, you called Kitty something else earlier, didn't you? Why?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, um..." he stammered, caught entirely off-guard. "I just knew a cat a long time ago that looked a lot like this one... I suppose this is why I instinctively called him that. His name... was Morgana."  
  
"... Morgana." Futaba echoed, suddenly expressionless. "Hmm... Morgana... Morga... na... Mor... gana... Mor... na... Mo... na..."  
  
"Futaba-chan...?" he asked tentatively, growing increasingly worried again, and immediately gave another start as she suddenly stood up.  
  
"That's it! Mona!" she cried out, grinning in delight while Akechi Goro blinked at her incredulously before letting out a tiny sigh of relief. "That's much better than Kitty, right, Sojiro?"  
  
"I think anything is better than that, to be honest..." he remarked in an undertone. The teenager, for his part, merely smiled.  
  
"So from now on, you're Mona, huh? Well hi, Mona." he said, scratching the cat behind his ears and earning a satisfying purr in return. The animal rubbed against his hand several times before leaping toward Futaba's side, who sat down again and placed him in her lap. Akechi Goro watched her play with him, a doleful smile accompanying the melancholy spreading through his mind. Of course that cat wasn't Morgana, just like no other cat was either... because there was no one to need a guide to the other world anymore...  
  
"Earth to Akecchi! Stop spacing out!"  
  
The young girl's command yanked him back to the present as effectively as if she had blown an air horn into his ear. He blinked at her again, looking a bit confused. "Ah... Sorry, Futaba-chan."  
  
As she kept teasing him, the door to the restroom creaked open, and Isshiki Wakaba came back. Although any trace of her suspicion was gone, the teenager decided it would be rather unwise to stick around any longer – that woman was much too astute for his own good.  
  
"Huh? You're leaving already?" Futaba protested as he stood up and paid for his drink, clearly disappointed.  
  
"I'm sorry... I still have many things to take care of at home before school starts again." he replied, which wasn't entirely false – though he did exaggerate the scope of his tasks a little bit. "Thank you for the coffee, Sakura-san."  
  
"Anytime." the owner simply responded, arching a sly eyebrow. Akechi Goro inclined his head slightly at all three of them and made to leave, when a voice stopped him in his tracks.  
  
"In case my attitude earlier gave you the wrong idea, Akechi-kun... Please know you are always welcome here." Isshiki Wakaba said serenely, her gaze kind. The young man looked at her for a moment, and a radiant smile lit his face. Bowing at her the deepest, he turned around and approached the front door. Then, as he was about to open it, he glanced behind him one last time.  
  
The woman had now sat again, sharing a laugh with the owner at something that he deduced was her daughter's expense, given her puffy cheeks and her look of outrage. It wasn't long before it melted into a series of giggles as well, however. The cat, meanwhile, was still comfortably installed on her lap, enjoying the idle petting he was receiving. Akechi Goro stared at them, feeling like the world had just gone mute.  
  
Of the three of them, Futaba was now laughing the hardest.  
She was nothing like the girl from back then. She was much more open to people, much more cheerful, much more lively. All of this because nobody had forcefully stripped her of her real name in this new future. Sakura Futaba... no, that wasn't it.  
  
Isshiki Futaba and Isshiki Wakaba.  
  
Their laughter...  
  
"Hm? Is something wrong, kid?"  
  
The faintest of gasps escaped the teenager's lips. Sakura Sojiro was peering at him, mild curiosity hovering on his face.  
  
"No... nothing at all. I'll be back soon." he assured with a gentle shake of the head, and left Leblanc at once. His heart felt tight – tighter than it had ever been in ages. Even so, his face remained impassive.  
  
Mechanically, he set off toward the subway station. A quick glance at his cell phone told him the next suburban train was leaving Tokyo in around thirty-five minutes. If he hurried, he should be able to make it in time.  
  
His brain issued the command to put his phone away, but his hand didn't follow through. It only gripped it somewhat tighter as he stared at the screen, a twinge of melancholy overcoming him once more. The Otherworld Navi and the Another Time Navi were no longer there. Or rather, they had never been there in the first place.  
  
The memories they were both bringing back couldn't be considered particularly good ones and yet, as the teenager remembered using them over and over again, he couldn't help but think that a part of himself was gone, lost alongside those two powers of his. It was like yearning for the days that created one's structure... no matter how bad those days had been.  
  
But that wasn't Akechi Goro's sole reason for feeling so nostalgic. There was another one, too – a reason that truly taught him the meaning of missing something only when it suddenly vanishes.  
  
Even as he tried to reach into the deepest parts of his core, he couldn't sense anything. No stirring, no presence, nothing. Loki was gone. Of course, Robin Hood had disappeared as well.  
  
... For the space of an instant, the teenager paused. Then, he quietly resumed his walk again.  
  
The subway station in sight, he picked up the pace a little, only to slow down once more at the sound of his phone buzzing. His agency was contacting him to know if he would be available for a photoshoot next week. As the young man promptly typed his answer–  
  
"... Ah!"  
  
... a startled gasp coming from his own mouth brusquely interrupted him. Too immersed in his phone to pay attention to his surroundings, he had bumped head on into a passerby, and Akechi Goro immediately bowed in embarrassment.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't watch where I was going..." he apologized profusely before straightening up again, his eyes brimming with concern. "Are you alri– huh...?"  
  
The first thing Akechi Goro thought when he saw him was that he was probably dreaming, and if not, then hallucinating.  
  
The second thing he thought as the passerby shook his head and apologized in turn was that he was feeling rather faint, to the point of wondering whether or not his legs would fail him.  
  
And as the passerby took a step forward, the third thing Akechi Goro thought... was that whatever just happened, he was almost certain it could be called a miracle.  
  
"Really, that was my bad. That's what I get for relying so much on my phone when I could just ask people for directions instead..." Kurusu Akira was saying meanwhile, apparently oblivious to the look of pure shock on the teenager's face. That is, until he finally took a good look at him. "Uh, are you okay?"  
  
The young man didn't respond. He merely stood there, rooted to the spot, unable to make so much as a sound. He looked for all the world like somebody had pressed a pause button on him. This went on for several long seconds before Kurusu Akira tilted his head to the side in confusion, which had just about the same effect on Akechi Goro as if he had been slapped awake – in the blink of an eye, he broke free from his trance. "Huh? Oh, um... Y-Yes, I'm alright. Th-Thank you for... for your concern."  
  
"Don't mention it." the black-haired boy replied simply. "Ah, that reminds me, do you know a shop called Leblanc? I'm supposed to go there, but I'm not sure if this is the right way..."  
  
"Huh...? Leblanc...?" the teenager repeated, falling prey to stupor once more before he shook his head, effectively shooing it away. "N-No! I-I mean yes! You're, you're almost there, you just need to take a right turn and it will be on your right, I-I mean your left..."  
  
With how incoherent and downright lunatic he was sounding, it was a wonder the black-haired boy didn't turn on his heel and run away as fast as his legs could carry him. But Akechi Goro had forgotten... he had forgotten that one of Kurusu Akira's most noticeable traits was how _unpredictable_ he could be. And just like back then, his unpredictability caught the teenager very much off-guard... in the best possible ways.  
  
"Thanks. I appreciate it."  
  
His smile was genuine – not a mocking smirk or an ironic curve, but a true display of gratitude. "Sorry, I'd love to chat more, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. From the little I heard, my new boss is a bit rough around the edges, so I figured arriving earlier than he expects would make a good first impression."  
  
"Your new boss...?" Akechi Goro echoed again blankly, until his eyes opened wide. "W-Wait,  _you_ are that part-timer Sakura-san was talking about?!"  
  
"Huh? You know who he is?" the other asked back eagerly. "A friend of my parents who often goes to his shop said in passing that he was looking for a part-timer. Since the housing was provided, I thought it'd be interesting to come to Tokyo while making some money at the same time, and my parents agreed, so... Um, anyway, if you know the owner, does that mean you go to Leblanc sometimes?"  
  
"I-I'm actually a regular there." the young man mumbled, struggling to hold his gaze.  
  
"Really? That's great! Do you mind if–"  
  
Without warning, Kurusu Akira interrupted himself, and awkwardly brought a hand to the back of his head. "No, I don't want to impose... And besides, this is something I should probably ask to Sakura-san rather than–"  
  
"Wh-What is it?" Akechi Goro cut off, his eyes widening so much that the other instinctively took a step back, apparently feeling somewhat overwhelmed.  
  
"Um... Well, I actually just arrived in Tokyo, so everything is new to me. I was wondering if maybe you could... show me around sometime? So that I can get more familiar with the city." he explained while fiddling with his phone nervously. A heavy silence answered him, and he promptly shook his head. "... What am I saying. I can't ask such a big favor to somebody I just met–"  
  
"It would be my pleasure! I-I mean, only if y-you are alright with it, of course." Akechi Goro blurted out, unable to help his outbursts and feeling completely stupid in the process. "I... I actually live in the suburbs, so maybe you would prefer an actual resident of Tokyo to show you around..."  
  
"What are you saying? As if I would mind." Kurusu Akira assured right away, looking positively adamant. His shoulders then sagged a little, as if he felt freed from some heavy charge. "That's a relief, to be honest... I was a bit worried that I wouldn't find anybody my age to talk to, especially since I'm transferring to a new school as a second year, all the groups will already be formed... Hey, are you a student of Shujin Academy too?"  
  
"Huh? Um, no... I actually go to another school..." the brown-haired boy muttered, and he didn't fail to notice the disappointment in Kurusu Akira's eyes.  
  
"I see... That's too bad. I hope I'll still see you soon then, uh..."  
  
"A-Akechi." the teenager said in a trembling voice. "Akechi... Goro."  
  
"And I'm Kurusu Akira. Nice to meet you, Akechi." the other replied, his eyes bright again, and the teenager felt at the mention of his name a surge of an emotion he thought long forgotten. His heart gave a little jolt. "Oh yeah, let me give you my number."  
  
"Wh-What? Y-Your–" the brown-haired boy sputtered as his gaze fell on his phone.  
  
Kurusu Akira, meanwhile, was fumbling with his own, apparently having trouble opening his contact list. Then, he looked up, peering at him expectantly, until his expression lit up in excitement. "Hey, we have the same phone!"  
  
The young man stopped dead. He remained utterly immobile a moment – Kurusu Akira blinked several times in confusion – and then gave a very forced, very nervous chuckle. "W-We do...? Now that's a... a funny coincidence..."  
  
Akechi Goro would have given anything in that moment to crawl into a hole and disappear off the surface of the Earth. He liked to believe he seldom made a fool of himself compared to most people, though he was beginning to think that he was doing a very good job at closing the gap, much to his dismay.  
  
But then, without warning, Kurusu Akira let out a chuckle of his own, and all of his worries vanished. With a sheepish smile, he entered the black-haired boy's number into his contact list, and the other did the same.  
  
"Sorry, Akechi, I really gotta go. You'll come visit me at Leblanc, won't you?"  
  
The teenager swallowed hard. It took him an abnormal effort to repress most of his stutter. "S-Sure, I'll do that. Maybe... next week."  
  
Kurusu Akira smiled at him, clearly looking forward to that day. "That's a promise. Well, see ya, Akechi."  
  
"Y-Yeah... See you... later."  
  
Akechi Goro followed him from the corner of his eye until the black-haired boy was out of sight, then very slowly stared straight ahead again. Only the slow rising and falling of his chest proved that he was still functioning. His brain, overwhelmed by what just happened, scrambled to catch up with the amount of information it had to process, working at a tremendous pace. It was nearly an impossible task, but as each piece of the puzzle clicked into place, as his breathing became faster with each step toward complete comprehension, it was clear that his brain was on the right track.  
  
And at last, just when Akechi Goro's head shot up... the process was complete. Like an overfilled balloon finally bursting, dozens of emotions suddenly crashed down onto him with incredible force, rushing through his veins, spreading through every last fiber of his being, overcoming him with tidal waves of astonishment, shock, disbelief, bliss, rapture, and many other feelings he couldn't identify.  
  
A wide grin splitting his lips, a bright gleam lighting up in his eyes, Akechi Goro forgot about the world and jumped for joy high in the air, feeling lighter than he had ever felt, so happy he could scream–  
  
"Mom, why is this boy jumping up and down like that?"  
  
The young man froze stiff, his arms still comically held high. A little boy and his mother were staring at him with very round eyes, evidently questioning his sanity. Very slowly, he lowered his arms, his mouth still stuck in a silly-looking grin, blurting out some unintelligible stuttering only to settle for an awkward chuckle instead. Then, before the two bystanders had time to blink, the teenager was already gone, dashing away madly as his heart burst with excitement at the reaction his mother would have when he would tell her the news.  
  
... And this is how Akechi Goro's story came to an end. A story that began in darkness, and ended in light.  
  
But now, a new story was beginning. A story beginning in light, and set to end in light as well. The puppet strings had been severed permanently. The cage door was open. The whims of fate were in control no more – and it all started with a single pledge.  
  
Akechi Goro was going to live. This is the choice he had made for himself.  
  
  
  
  


* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are reading this, it means you probably read the whole story from start to finish. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart! I hope you enjoyed reading Succession as much as I enjoyed writing it. It took one year longer than I had planned to finish it (originally, it was supposed to be finished around early May 2017...) but here it is, finally the end! This is the first multi-chapter story I ever wrote, and I am very happy to have finally completed it. Whether you were there from the very beginning or started reading later on, I am extremely grateful to every single one of you for sticking with me to the very end. I am sorry for making Goro go through so much misfortune... but I hope you were satisfied with the conclusion of his story. The same goes for his portrayal – I hope I did him justice enough. I would also like to give my special thanks to /pg/, who taught me about the existence of Sophia, a figure of Gnostic mythos, which was the major inspiration for this story. I can't believe one year and a half already passed since then... It was fun discussing Sophia with you guys!
> 
> I want to keep writing about Goro. I really, really like him, and I want to explore his character further, as well as his relationship with Akira (whom I guess I should call Amamiya Ren from now on, shouldn't I?), plus Sae and Shidou especially (and also Cognitive Goro, though this is less of a priority). I have many, many ideas that have been waiting to be written for a while now, most of them just as old as the prologue of Succession. They are mostly one-shots, but I have two or three ideas about longer stories that I can't wait to start working on. One of them is a story that I started planning only a few weeks after I began writing Succession, and it should be around the same length as well (I actually already wrote the prologue of this new story one year and a half ago! Though it definitely needs some dusting, after such a long time). It will probably take a while before I start publishing that story, because I would like to get several one-shots out of the way first, and maybe write one of the shorter multi-chapter fics as a warm-up. My time is getting more and more limited, so I can't promise a consistent update schedule like Succession had for the first 16 chapters, but I do promise I will finish all my works regardless of the time it takes. Just for fun, here's a little teaser – the following titles are a sample of my next stories in no particular order. Can you guess what they will be about ? : PHENOMENA – SMOKING ROOM – ELECTION DAY – SLAUGHTERHOUSE – WOMANIZER – FORGET-ME-NOT – SALVATION – SCARECROW
> 
> So that was Succession. Thanks again for reading, and see you very soon with the next story!


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